


Useless Things

by TiRaven (Estirose)



Category: Kamen Rider Kiva
Genre: Alternate Universe, Jossed, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-10-06
Updated: 2012-07-17
Packaged: 2017-10-24 09:12:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 31,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/261626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/TiRaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nago Keisuke discovers something about Wataru, and resolves to keep the world safe. (Departs from canon circa episode 28)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written after seeing 28 and getting a plot bunny. The plot evolved as the series did, so there are characters whose roles evolved in the story after seeing subsequent episodes.

Keisuke watched Wataru leave the cafe. He'd been so stunned by the revelation that Wataru was the son of the woman he'd met in 1986, the very powerful Fangire who hadn't shied away from slapping him. She'd been an amazing woman, it was unfortunate that she was a Fangire.

So, what was Wataru? Fangire? Part Fangire? Some unfortunate soul that was, for some reason, raised by a Fangire?

Wataru was spineless, weak, nothing like the woman he'd met in 1986. She'd probably made him that way. "Who was his father?" he wondered out loud. Why hadn't the man stood up to her, made Wataru strong?

"Kurenai Otoya," the cafe owner said. Keisuke thought back to the man who had been IXA, who was full of tricks - but he was bulled by his own woman, so he couldn't have been that strong. He took out a photo album out of one of the shelves and opened it, paging though it. "Ah, here." He pointed out a picture of three people to Keisuke.

Otoya, the past IXA, stood there with the woman he'd met, and she held a baby. Below the picture, a note was inscribed: "Kurenai Otoya, Kurenai Maya, and Kurenai Wataru, 1988".

"So, Wataru is *her* child?" Keisuke demanded. "Or did they...."

"Shima had paternity tests done," the cafe owner said, apparently remembering something. "He couldn't believe it either."

Wataru was half-Fangire. Did he know this? What was he raised as?

"You know, don't you," the cafe owner said, leaning forward and scrutinizing him carefully. "You know what Wataru is."

"Yes," Keisuke said abruptly, folding his arms.

"Wataru doesn't, and we'd like to keep it that way." The man had an intense stare when he wanted to, Keisuke noted. "Shima wasn't keen on having a Fangire member, but he relented in return for Maya never telling Wataru that he wasn't full human. Given what happened, everybody sees the wisdom in it."

"Kiva." Wataru was somehow involved in the near-destruction of the world, somehow.

The cafe owner nodded. "He doesn't know what happened, and he can't. If he does, or if he finds out what he is, he might come into his power."

Keisuke kept himself from shivering. So, Wataru had Maya's potential. Given how damned powerful Maya seemed to be, there was good reason to keep him ignorant.

"Of course, since Wataru doesn't know what he is, we can't stop him from discovering things himself. I mean, at least this whole thing with Suzuki-kun is keeping him distracted, but I'm not sure it's a good idea for him to have children, just in case."

He could grimly imagine what would happen if Wataru was a father and came into his power. Given what the Cafe Owner had implied, it was a good thing for him not to have a family. He might become very difficult for Keisuke to destroy. But not impossible, of course.

"I'll do something about that," he said.

* * *

He stalked into Wataru's house, not bothering to ring the doorbell. He never rang doorbells if he could help it. Wataru had left his door unlocked, which was very stupid of him. Nago would have to do something about that later.

On his way to the place, he'd grimly made a plan. Wataru was weak. Under Megumi's influence, he'd go and marry Suzuki Mio and have children, something that should not happen.

Keisuke had to get him under control again, protect him from these destructive influences. Sometimes the strong had to do that for the weak. Sometimes the warriors had to do it for the innocent. He'd thought about just killing Wataru, but Wataru was not a criminal, he was an innocent, if a incredibly destructive one if he found out his true heritage.

"Nago-san?" Wataru asked, quite startled to see Nago in his doorway. Nago recalled that Wataru made violins - not something that really contributed to humanity, but probably something that kept Wataru inside and harmless. He'd have to allow Wataru to keep working on violins. But that was all he was going to allow him to do with music. Actually, playing them would probably also keep him distracted, so Nago would have to allow that, too.

Seizing the moment, he strode over to where Wataru was, grabbed the other man's shoulders, and kissed him.

"... Nago-san?" Wataru asked again, more than a little confused.

"You're mine, now," he said, looking sharply at Wataru, still holding onto his shoulders.

"Nago-san?" Wataru asked once more. "Are you all right?" He looked at Keisuke as if he wasn't sure that Keisuke hadn't gone mad. "Should I get Kengo-san?"

"No!" Eritate Kengo would only put the world in danger by allowing Wataru to get in danger, and if Wataru got in danger, he might discover his heritage by accident. Some Fangire might recognize him for what he was and tell him.

Wataru merely nodded, accepting Keisuke's demand. He was hopeless as a human, and guiding him on the right path put him in danger of triggering the power within him.

"Just remember: you are mine now. Not anybody else's." It was a good thing, Keisuke thought, that he hadn't been planning to have children himself. Wataru didn't have to love him - in fact, it was better if he didn't - but he had to obey Keisuke's demands. In return, he'd keep the boy protected and sexually satisfied so he wouldn't even *look* at a woman - and if he did, Keisuke could punish him for it. "Understood?"

"I understand," Wataru said, and Keisuke gave him a satisfied nod.

He stalked out, leaving Wataru with his useless things. Because no matter how misguided Wataru was sometimes, he was still a civilian. Still believed he was human. And Keisuke, as long as it didn't inconvenience him too much, would help keep up the pretense. After all, he was Keisuke Nago. He was IXA. And he was the best in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

Wataru watched as Nago-san closed the door, and walked to the window, making sure the man had left before turning. "Kivat, what was that about?"

Why had Nago-san acted the way he did? Nago-san had used him off and on as an assistant, but not as of late, and it didn't make sense for him to make a move on Wataru. Wataru hadn't even thought of the possibility that Nago-san liked guys, but it made sense. And Nago-san was very demanding. Wataru wondered what would happen if he told him 'no'.

"I don't know, Wataru," Kivat said, unfolding himself from his perch. "I'm sure it doesn't mean anything good."

"I wonder if Megumi-san could explain it? She works with him, after all." They had each others' cellphone numbers. He was pretty sure he couldn't ask anybody else. Shizuka-chan might be able to help in general. Kengo-san liked Nago-san, but didn't know him well, and he wouldn't burden Mio-san, even when he found her.

"Maybe," Kivat said in a noncommital manner.

Wataru pulled out his cellphone and dialed Megumi-san's number. "Megumi-san?"

"Oh, hi, Wataru-kun," the woman said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but very confused," he said. "May I ask you something?"

"Sure," she said. He imagined her sitting down, ready to answer his question.

"Does Nago-san like guys?"

"Nago? What? The only person he likes is himself." She paused. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, he kissed me, and-" He hoped he sounded as confused to her as he did to himself.

"Nago Keisuke kissed you?" Megumi-san asked. "Wataru-kun, are you sure of this?"

"Yes," he said, wondering why she didn't think he was sure.

"Wataru-kun, I'm coming down there. I'll ring the doorbell, okay?" Megumi-san sounded worried, and he had to admit, it was a bit strange for Nago-san.

"Okay," he said.

He waited for Megumi-san to arrive, rushing down to open the gate for her and ushering her upstairs. "So, tell me what happened," she said.

"Nago-san showed up in my workshop," he said. "Then he kissed me and told me I was his." He frowned. "And nobody else's. I asked him if he needed Kengo-san, and he said no. And then he left."

"And you're sure he kissed you?" Megumi-san asked.

Wataru nodded, wanting to show Megumi-san so she knew he knew what kissing was. "Like this." He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her.

"Wataru-kun," she said, once he'd released her, "I'm going to go have a talk with Nago-kun. In the meantime, have you heard from Mio-chan?"

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I've looked for her, and looked for her...."

"Maybe you should look for her," Megumi-san said. "She's better for you than Nago-kun."

"Okay, Megumi-san," Wataru said, still confused by the whole goings-on. "But why did Nago-san do that to me?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Megumi-san said. "Don't worry, I'll straighten it out." She gave him a strained smile.

Wataru nodded, and returned to his work.


	3. Chapter 3

Megumi stormed over to Nago Keisuke as he sat in the cafe. "What in the hell do you think you're doing to Wataru-kun?" she asked.

"Quiet down, please," Nago said, folding his arms. "I'm doing this for the good of the world." He looked over at her with a foreboding expression. "What do you know if it?"

"He called me, wanting to know why you kissed him," she said, taking a seat next to him. "Apparently, you like guys. You scared him."

"Good," Nago said. "And I don't like anybody. I did it because I had to. And quiet down, please! We're right next to each other, sound like you actually were raised in civilized society."

She glared at him, and decided it was best not to tell him that she hadn't for part of her life. He'd use it against her. "You kissed Wataru-kun because you had to."

"Because he, and the world, are in a lot of danger if someone doesn't put him under control, and I can handle him," Nago said. "I kissed him to put a claim on him. Please don't interfere."

"You just want him because you're gay," Megumi said, "And you can't let your playthings live by anything but your own rules." She knew she was rambling on, that she was lying, but she didn't care as long as it got Wataru-kun free.

"I am *not* gay!" Nago said. "I am doing an important service to this world. You can't possibly understand the ramifications. You'll thank me someday."

"Right," Megumi drawled. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"And Wataru is mine," Nago said. "If you value your life, please don't interfere. In fact, don't go near Wataru ever again."

"Are you threatening me, Nago-kun?" she asked deliberately.

"I'm stating fact," Nago said. "If you do continue to interact with Wataru, you'll regret it."

Poor Wataru-kun. He didn't deserve Nago. He deserved sweet, shy Mio, a girl that was good for him. "And if you try to stop me, *you'll* regret it. Good day, Nago-kun."

She got up to return to Wataru-kun. Or maybe to find Mio-chan. She wasn't sure, she just knew that Wataru deserved so much more than Nago. And she would do anything to make sure that Nago didn't interfere.


	4. Chapter 4

Keisuke fumed as Megumi left. Wataru was disobeying his instructions only minutes after he gave them to the younger man, apparently. He'd have to put together instructions, because apparently Wataru had to be told in detail on what was expected of him.

Maybe Keisuke would find something worthwhile that Wataru could do for humanity, while keeping Wataru occupied. If Wataru was occupied, he couldn't find out what he was, or father any kids.

Keisuke started writing up a list for Wataru. Detailed was best. He then drove back to Wataru's place, not bothering with the doorbell or knocking, and stormed up to Wataru's main work room.

Wataru looked up. "Nago-san?" he asked. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Keisuke grabbed Wataru's arm and hauled him to a nearby couch. "I think there are some rules you need to understand."

The younger man seemed about to protest, and Keisuke glared at him. "First of all, you do *not* argue with me."

Wataru closed his mouth, much to Keisuke's satisfaction.

"You are not allowed any contact with any women. That includes Megumi." He glared at the boy. "Unless it's a purely professional transaction." Wataru probably had to grocery shop, after all, and he probably did have customers. "Understood?"

"But Nago-san-"

"UNDERSTOOD?" Keisuke repeated, glaring at the other person. "What's the first rule?"

"Don't argue with you," Wataru said softly.

"You're allowed to buy goods, you're allowed to have customers, you're allowed to play whatever musical instrument you want, as long as I'm not within earshot. I do not want to hear any music. I don't care if you and Eritate Kengo play all night in your little band, I just don't want to hear it."

"But Nago-san, Shizuka-chan is in the band too," Wataru whined.

"She's not now," Keisuke said in irritation. "Break the news to Eritate Kengo."

Wataru stared at him.

"If you feel the need to have sex, you come to me." There was no denying who would be on top, but he would make sure that the boy was satisfied, if only so that he wouldn't try to seek it with someone else.

"Nago-san, are you sure you're all right?" Wataru asked. Keisuke looked into his dark eyes, wondering if the boy got them from his Fangire mother or his human father.

"I'm fine," he said abruptly, hoping to discourage further discussion. "If you encounter any Fangire, you are to call me and get out of there. Do not dawdle, do not attempt to befriend the Fangire, you will *get out of there*. If it turns out you've befriended one, call me immediately. Do not continue contact."

Wataru was still sitting there like a stupid sheep. "Are you listening to me?" Keisuke asked, his voice rising.

"Yes," Wataru said in a quiet tone. At least he wasn't arguing.

Keisuke thrust a piece of paper with his rules at Wataru. "Read these, and live by them."

"Nago-san, are you sure you're all right?" Wataru asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Keisuke snapped. "I'm doing my job to save the world." He remembered Wataru's mother, who had so enchanted him. Even if she was a damned Fangire, he liked her. He just didn't want Wataru to discover he had powers.

But what if he could control Wataru, and control Wataru's powers? That was something to think about. First, he had to make sure that Wataru was under his control, and then....

And then, he'd tell Wataru what he was. The Fangire power would awaken inside the boy, and he could use him to fight off the Fangire and save the world. He would get the respect he was entitled to.

One step at a time. He'd have to break Wataru's will, tighten the cord around the boy's freedoms until the boy was reliant only on him for support. And then he'd awaken what Wataru was. He'd start with the rules he'd given Wataru and go from there. Wataru had a small spark of rebellion against him, but Maya had made sure that he wasn't anything that anybody would be afraid of.

"But... I can't be what you want me to be," Wataru bleated. "Nago-san, I admire you, but-"

Keisuke grabbed the front of Wataru's t-shirt, along with a portion of his scarf. "You can either be my boyfriend, live within my strictures, or I can kill you," he warned. "I will do it to save everything."

Wataru bowed his head in submission.

Smiling, Keisuke stood up. "If you don't, I'll punish you. If needs be, I'll kill you. It's your choice. Understand?"

"Yes," Wataru said, head still bowed, looking at Keisuke's shoes.

"Good." Keisuke let Wataru stay on the couch. He'd devise punishments if needed, but he hoped they weren't. On the other hand, everybody needed to learn their place. Wataru would too. "And don't forget rule number five - lock your door."

He thought he heard a mumbled "Okay" before he left the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Keisuke fumed as Megumi left. Wataru was disobeying his instructions only minutes after he gave them to the younger man, apparently. He'd have to put together instructions, because apparently Wataru had to be told in detail on what was expected of him.

Maybe Keisuke would find something worthwhile that Wataru could do for humanity, while keeping Wataru occupied. If Wataru was occupied, he couldn't find out what he was, or father any kids.

Keisuke started writing up a list for Wataru. Detailed was best. He then drove back to Wataru's place, not bothering with the doorbell or knocking, and stormed up to Wataru's main work room.

Wataru looked up. "Nago-san?" he asked. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Keisuke grabbed Wataru's arm and hauled him to a nearby couch. "I think there are some rules you need to understand."

The younger man seemed about to protest, and Keisuke glared at him. "First of all, you do *not* argue with me."

Wataru closed his mouth, much to Keisuke's satisfaction.

"You are not allowed any contact with any women. That includes Megumi." He glared at the boy. "Unless it's a purely professional transaction." Wataru probably had to grocery shop, after all, and he probably did have customers. "Understood?"

"But Nago-san-"

"UNDERSTOOD?" Keisuke repeated, glaring at the other person. "What's the first rule?"

"Don't argue with you," Wataru said softly.

"You're allowed to buy goods, you're allowed to have customers, you're allowed to play whatever musical instrument you want, as long as I'm not within earshot. I do not want to hear any music. I don't care if you and Eritate Kengo play all night in your little band, I just don't want to hear it."

"But Nago-san, Shizuka-chan is in the band too," Wataru whined.

"She's not now," Keisuke said in irritation. "Break the news to Eritate Kengo."

Wataru stared at him.

"If you feel the need to have sex, you come to me." There was no denying who would be on top, but he would make sure that the boy was satisfied, if only so that he wouldn't try to seek it with someone else.

"Nago-san, are you sure you're all right?" Wataru asked. Keisuke looked into his dark eyes, wondering if the boy got them from his Fangire mother or his human father.

"I'm fine," he said abruptly, hoping to discourage further discussion. "If you encounter any Fangire, you are to call me and get out of there. Do not dawdle, do not attempt to befriend the Fangire, you will *get out of there*. If it turns out you've befriended one, call me immediately. Do not continue contact."

Wataru was still sitting there like a stupid sheep. "Are you listening to me?" Keisuke asked, his voice rising.

"Yes," Wataru said in a quiet tone. At least he wasn't arguing.

Keisuke thrust a piece of paper with his rules at Wataru. "Read these, and live by them."

"Nago-san, are you sure you're all right?" Wataru asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Keisuke snapped. "I'm doing my job to save the world." He remembered Wataru's mother, who had so enchanted him. Even if she was a damned Fangire, he liked her. He just didn't want Wataru to discover he had powers.

But what if he could control Wataru, and control Wataru's powers? That was something to think about. First, he had to make sure that Wataru was under his control, and then....

And then, he'd tell Wataru what he was. The Fangire power would awaken inside the boy, and he could use him to fight off the Fangire and save the world. He would get the respect he was entitled to.

One step at a time. He'd have to break Wataru's will, tighten the cord around the boy's freedoms until the boy was reliant only on him for support. And then he'd awaken what Wataru was. He'd start with the rules he'd given Wataru and go from there. Wataru had a small spark of rebellion against him, but Maya had made sure that he wasn't anything that anybody would be afraid of.

"But... I can't be what you want me to be," Wataru bleated. "Nago-san, I admire you, but-"

Keisuke grabbed the front of Wataru's t-shirt, along with a portion of his scarf. "You can either be my boyfriend, live within my strictures, or I can kill you," he warned. "I will do it to save everything."

Wataru bowed his head in submission.

Smiling, Keisuke stood up. "If you don't, I'll punish you. If needs be, I'll kill you. It's your choice. Understand?"

"Yes," Wataru said, head still bowed, looking at Keisuke's shoes.

"Good." Keisuke let Wataru stay on the couch. He'd devise punishments if needed, but he hoped they weren't. On the other hand, everybody needed to learn their place. Wataru would too. "And don't forget rule number five - lock your door."

He thought he heard a mumbled "Okay" before he left the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Megumi rang Wataru-kun's doorbell repeatedly, in hopes that it would annoy him enough to come down. She was sure Nago-kun had intimidated the poor boy, and that Wataru needed a helping hand.

"Megumi-san?" Wataru asked hesitantly behind her.

She turned. "Wataru-kun. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Wataru-kun said. "It's Nago-san that's sick." He looked at her plaintively. "Megumi-san, can you help me?"

Megumi nodded. "Yes, I can," she said. "Let's go inside." If Nago took issue with her being in Wataru's house, then he could take it up with her.

She followed him up to his workshop, where he offered her tea. He was very domestic, she decided. And very quiet, very easy for Nago-kun to intimidate. She picked up a piece of paper, recognizing Nago-kun's handwriting. "Rules," it said, with a list of rules for Wataru to follow. "Don't talk back, don't talk to any women unless they're customers or serving you, don't get near any Fangire...." Nago-kun seemed ready to run Wataru-kun's life for him. Wataru-kun seemed a little bit weird sometimes, but he seemed like he was an independent adult.

"Nago-san left me a lot of rules," Wataru-kun said, taking the list from her. "I can't think of why he'd think I'm in danger of sleeping with a Fangire."

"I don't know either, Wataru-kun," Megumi said. "How long has he been acting like this?"

"The last time he wasn't acting weird was when I dropped all my change at the cafe," Wataru said. "He looked stunned, but he was okay. I guess he was interested in a button my mother gave me when I was little." He took out a button from somewhere. "But I don't know why it would cause him to act this way."

"I don't know, Wataru-kun, but I'll find out," Megumi promised. "And in the meantime, don't feel obligated to follow his rules if they prevent you from doing anything."

Wataru nodded shyly, and Megumi resolved to find Mio-chan and have her date Wataru-kun. It would make both of them feel better.

* * *

Megumi swept into the exercise room that Shima-san always worked at. "Shima-san," she said firmly. "Nago-kun has gone mad."

"Has he?" Shima-san asked. "What did he do, precisely?"

"Well, for one, he kissed Wataru-kun," Megumi said. "And then he claimed it was for the sake of the world. And gave Wataru-kun a list of rules on what he could and couldn't do. Nago-kun needs help."

Shima-san stopped his workout for the moment. "If he's doing what I think he's trying to do..." Shima looked over at her. "Then he's come across some information he's not supposed to, and he's trying to save the world in his own way."

"By kissing Wataru-kun?" Megumi asked skeptically.

"Twenty years ago," Shima-san said, "I accepted a Fangire into the Wondrous Blue Sky organization. She was pregnant. She promised to help us out, and she did, by giving us Kiva. That turned out to be a disaster."

Megumi nodded. She'd known tragic things had happened with the old wielder, but not precisely what.

"That Fangire was Wataru's mother. His father was a human member of the organization." He paused for a moment. "When his mother told me that he could come into his power someday, especially if he knew what it was, I forbade her to ever tell him about it. I figured that Wataru would be easier to deal with if he was raised as a human with no clue of his Fangire heritage. As it is, I've gathered information that Wataru's beginning to come into that heritage. The main thing we have to do is keep him from losing his humanity in the process."

"So, Nago-kun's somehow decided that Wataru needs his life run for him?" Megumi asked. It made a horrible amount of sense.

Shima-san nodded and hauled a cellphone out of wherever he'd been hiding it. "I'm guessing that's what he decided." He made a call. "Yes. Can you make it to the gym as fast as possible? Yes." He hung up the phone. "He'll be here."

"Good," Megumi said, "Because he can't run Wataru-kun's life for him."

"I agree," Shima-san said. "And I'll try to get him to stop."

"Just as long as he's not trying to control everything in sight," Megumi said.

Nago-kun walked in a few minutes later as they continued to talk.


	7. Chapter 7

Keisuke walked in to where Megumi was standing with Shima-san. "Yes?" he asked. He wondered, since Megumi was there, if she'd gone to complain about his behavior to Shima-san. Shima-san knew about Wataru, knew how dangerous Wataru would be when awakened. He'd be on Keisuke's side.

"I hear that you know about Kurenai Wataru," Shima-san said.

"Yes," Keisuke said, glancing at Megumi. "Is this about him?"

Shima-san nodded. "Tell me what you know about him."

Keisuke mentally rolled his eyes. "The important thing is that he's half-Fangire, and his powers don't function while he's ignorant. And he shouldn't have a family, especially children."

Megumi looked surprised at Keisuke's words. He ignored her, focusing on Shima-san.

"You're partially right," Shima said. "The ignorance is so that he continues his alleigance to humanity instead of the Fangire. He's got some powers manifesting anyway, but they seem to be purely unconscious. He doesn't seem to be aware of them."

"And the family?" Keisuke asked. "Do we want him passing along his Fangire blood?" He hoped they wouldn't. He'd look down on them if they did.

"No," Shima-san said. "We need to keep him away from that, and keep him calm. If his powers manifest, they'll be out of passion more than anything else." The older man was staring at something that wasn't his mirrored reflection.

"Then he needs a boyfriend," Keisuke said. "And he does need to have his life controlled." He was doing it *right*. Wataru needed his guidance, just in a different way.

"He thinks you've gone insane," Megumi snapped.

"I'm only doing what's good for him," Keisuke said calmly. "I know what needs to be done, and I'll do it." Keeping Wataru under his control would be the simplest thing... and he'd make the boy do whatever was needed to unleash his powers later on.

"Hate can be a strong emotion too," Shima-san said mildly. "Make sure you don't turn him against his own kind."

Keisuke snorted. "I will continue being his 'boyfriend', and I'm going to make sure he stays put." He'd do this, no matter how stupid it seemed.

"Wataru likes *girls*," Megumi said. "Not guys."

"He's going to learn to like me," Keisuke told her. "Because that's all the choice he'll have."

"I would suggest," Shima-san said, "Getting to know him and his interests, if you're going to play a part of his life."

Keisuke frowned. Didn't Shima-san realize that he was going to have to deal with useless things like musical instruments? But on the other hand, it would probably be a good idea to see what drove Wataru, just so that he could control him better. "I'll do that."

He left the gym, intent on seeing Wataru again. But first, he went home and packed a suitcase.

* * *

"Nago-san?" As usual, Wataru looked confused. "You're bringing a suitcase this time?"

"I'm staying at your house for a few days. It was suggested that I... tweak... my rules to something more realistic." He put the suitcase down. "So, I'm staying with you for a week. Understand?"

Wataru gaped, and then seemed to remember his place. "Understood."

"Good. Do you make your own dinner, or...." He hoped that Wataru understood the concept of a nutritious meal.

"I make my own, Nago-san," Wataru said. "Do you want me to make some for you, too?"

"Please," Keisuke said. He wanted to see what Wataru was eating, if his diet needed to be fixed. "And please show me around your house."

Wataru bowed. He gave Keisuke a tour of the place, which was not very big. It didn't need to be, if it served as a adequate prison if needed.

"You're not locking your doors," Keisuke said as Wataru finished.

"I need to have my doors unlocked," Wataru said. "That's how my customers get in."

Fine. One small rebellion. If that was the only problem he had with Wataru, he could live with it.

He was left sitting at Wataru's little table while Wataru worked upstairs. Finally, the younger man - half-human, Keisuke reminded himself - finished, going into the small kitchen.

Keisuke waited impatiently for Wataru to cook. When the boy came out, Keisuke was pleased to see that Wataru knew both how to cook and how to set a table, and he had some idea of nutrition. Wataru seemed to be a traditionalist when it came to food, and Keisuke wondered who had taught him to be that way.

Eating his food, he could easily imagine living here, with Wataru to cook his meals. They ate in silence, Keisuke observing Wataru and his table manners, which were fine. He'd have to take Wataru out somewhere in order to observe how he did with European table etiquette.

"Did you remember to lock the doors?" Keisuke asked.

"Yes," Wataru said. His tone was subdued. Keisuke approved.

"Good," Keisuke said. He watched Wataru go upstairs, presumably to work more on violins. Instead, he heard an instrument being tuned, and then soft violin music. He tensed, but he didn't stop Wataru. He was supposed to keep Wataru calm, and if the violin music made Wataru calm, Keisuke would tolerate it - if barely - for the sake of the world.

Eventually, Wataru came back downstairs and turned down the bed. Keisuke had inspected it earlier, realizing he'd spent time in this same bed - or at least the same nook - back in 1986, when Wataru's father had thought he was suicidal.

"Here's your bed, Nago-san," Wataru said, indicating his own bed.

"And where are you sleeping?" Keisuke asked. He hadn't seen a guest bedroom. Maybe it was that room full of boxes that Wataru had shown him.

Wataru shrugged. "I'll find a place. Upstairs."

Keisuke eyed Wataru's bed. There might be enough room for the two of them in it. "I have a better idea." Wataru had to be convinced that sleeping with men, not women, was the way his life was going to be now. There was no way that Keisuke was going to allow Wataru to pass along his Fangire bloodline.

"What is it, Nago-san?" Wataru asked, not sure as to what Keisuke meant.

"You are my boyfriend," Keisuke stated. "We'll sleep together."

Wataru backed up. "That's okay, Nago-san, I'll be perfectly okay upstairs."

Keisuke stepped forward, striding until he was right in Wataru's space. "What's the first rule?"

"Don't argue with you," Wataru said. "But Nago-san, my bed is too narrow for the both of us."

"No, it isn't," Keisuke said, and pulled Wataru in that direction.


	8. Chapter 8

Wataru woke up early the next morning on the floor of his workshop. After Nago-san had fallen asleep, he'd crawled out of their shared bed and did his best to sleep on his floor. Nago-san was his guest, after all, even if he hadn't wanted him there.

He snatched up a piece of paper and wrote a note to Nago-san. "To Nago-san: I've gone out to look for ingredients for a new violin varnish. I'll be back later in the day. - Wataru." He was only somewhat lying about the varnish; he was probably overdue to work on a new batch. But he was mostly going out to talk to people, especially Kivat. He didn't want Nago-san to discover Kivat. He still wasn't sure why Nago-san decided that they were dating, but hopefully Nago-san would figure out that they were wrong for each other soon.

Leaving the note on the table, along with some breakfast, he headed out, snacking on his own breakfast food. "Kivat," he said, knowing that the bat wasn't far behind.

The bat swooped around him. "This is still bad."

"Did you get in touch with Shizuka-chan?" Wataru asked.

"Yes, I did. She wanted to meet you - she says your favorite spot in the park." Kivat hovered next to him. "She wants to confront him."

Wataru nodded. Shizuka-chan would do what Shizuka-chan would do, and he'd learned not to hold her back. "I'll meet her there. When?"

"Nine o'clock," Kivat said. "I'd have told you earlier, but you were arguing with *that man*."

"Nago-san, you mean?" Wataru dropped his head. "I just didn't want to sleep with him."

"Wataru," Kivat said, "You have very important things in your future. Things about yourself that you don't understand. Even now, you have the power to tell him no. I think you should use that power."

Considering Kivat's words, Wataru nodded. He should rebel. He should push Nago-san out of the house, out of his life as much as he could. If they could stop him from being IXA, all the better.

He sat down on a bench. He'd admired Nago-san at first, accepted him as IXA even though the other man bizarrely wanted to kill him for something he didn't even do, been his assistant. He'd even tried to tell Nago-san that he was Kiva, but Nago-san hadn't listened. He hoped it didn't take him going into the Kiva armor to get Nago-san to back down.

Wataru had to get Nago-san out of there before Nago-san discovered Kivat and figured things out.

"I should get in touch with Megumi-san," he said out loud. Megumi-san might know what happened to Nago-san. Nago-san said he'd been talked to, maybe by Shima-san. Maybe Megumi-san had been present.

If he was going to confront Nago-san he had to gather courage. Being around the people he wasn't supposed to be around was good. It would help him believe that he could defy Nago-san's orders and rules.

He took out his phone and called Megumi-san, but got her voicemail. He left a message. Checking the time, he headed to the park to meet Shizuka-chan.

She was waiting when he got there, arms folded. "Wataru, what have you gotten yourself into?" she demanded.

"I'm... not sure," Wataru said. Nago-san had thrown his life in disorder; he hadn't really been able to sit down and think before that morning.

"Well, if you won't talk to this Nago, I will," Shizuka said, boldly dropping off Nago-san's honorific. "You and your dates! First you get this girl who runs off on you, and then you get a *boyfriend*?"

"I didn't ask for him to be my boyfriend, Shizuka-chan," Wataru explained patiently. "I haven't gotten him to understand that yet."

"Well, you're too young to date," Shizuka said. "And men don't date men."

"They don't?" Wataru asked. Was this one of those things that his mother had never bothered to explain?

"No, they don't," Shizuka said. "It's... ewwww."

"Oh, okay," Wataru said. "But about Nago-san...."

"We'll take care of this *right now*," Shizuka said, grabbing his arm. "I'm going to save you from the filthy pervert."

"Um. Okay," Wataru said, letting Shizuka-chan lead him back to his house and march him up the stairs.

Nago-san was eating breakfast downstairs as Shizuka-chan hauled Wataru down the stairs to his bedroom/dining room. "You," she said sharply. Her language was still fairly polite, but Wataru was glad he wasn't Nago-san.

"I thought I told you-" Nago-san beyond, but Shizuka-chan had crossed the space between her and Nago-san.

"Wataru can see anybody he likes," Shizuka-chan said boldly. "He's not yours, he doesn't have to follow your stupid rules, and you're going to leave this place and not bother Wataru ever again!"

"You have no idea what's at stake," Nago-san said in response, not bothering to get up. He scowled at Shizuka-chan. "Or you wouldn't be talking to me like that."

"I bet you're just using any excuse you can possibly manage to convince Wataru to be your boyfriend," Shizuka-chan countered. "If it's your pride at stake, you're just going to have to lose it."

"It's far more serious than that," Nago-san argued, getting up. "The fate of the world might be at stake."

"Wataru, tell him that he's tresspassing and has to leave, and that he's harrassing you," Shizuka-chan said.

Nago-san glared at him. "Well, she does have a point," Wataru said hesitantly. "I don't think we make good boyfriends."

"When the fate of the world is at stake," Nago-san said, "we do." He grabbed Wataru's arm.

Shizuka-chan, on the other hand, had grabbed Nago-san's suitcase. She glared at him. "Well, I think you're dangerous and Wataru likes girls!" She grabbed Wataru's arm. "And we're going to call the police."

"We are?" Wataru asked as she hauled him towards the stairs.

"Yes, we are," Shizuka said assertively. Wataru was wondering how to get himself out of the situation when his phone rang. He had it in his hand before Nago-san stole it away from him and answered it. He could feel Shizuka-chan tugging him away.


	9. Chapter 9

Keisuke answered Wataru's cell phone. "Yes?" he barked, spotting Megumi's name on the display.

"What are you doing with Wataru-kun's phone?" Megumi demanded.

"I confiscated it," Keisuke said. He noticed that Wataru - and his clothes - had been dragged off by the teenager. No matter. Wataru would have to return sooner or later. When he did, Keisuke would yell at him and punish him. Yelling at Wataru seemed to work, at least.

"You don't run his life," Megumi told him. "No matter what Shima-san said-"

"If anybody can handle Wataru and his powers," Keisuke said, "*I* can. I will become his lover, his confidante, everything that he needs in order to keep him from Fangire influence."

"You?" Megumi said scornfully. "You're like a steamroller. You don't care about his feelings. If any of us has to do this, it should be someone who respects him."

Snorting, Keisuke answered, "I don't have to care about his feelings. And this way, we don't have to worry about a pregnancy, either." Why Megumi thought she'd be an appropriate guardian for Wataru, he didn't know. She'd be too soft on Wataru, and the last thing Wataru needed was soft. And the last thing they wanted was a second generation with the power Wataru could apparently have. "Please stop trying to communicate with Wataru until I allow it. Goodbye."

He closed the connection and slipped Wataru's phone into one of his pockets. His own phone rang; he glanced at it, saw Megumi's name, and ignored it. She'd go back to their boss, he knew, but he'd deal with that later.

Right now, it was best to convince Wataru not to call the police on him.

And he would, under that girl's influence. This was a prime example why Wataru had to be watched over; he was easily influenced. Keisuke wasn't sure how that had happened, but he knew the danger of leaving Wataru on his own. All the Fangire had to do was figure out what he was, and the power that Wataru potentially wielded would be used against humanity.

And given the power he'd seen from Wataru's mother, the last thing humanity needed was for Wataru to side with the Fangire. Even if he was weaker, being only half Fangire, he still was a possible threat.

He walked out of the house, striding forward in hopes that Wataru and the girl would stay nearby. He saw Wataru sputtering, trying to come up with reasons not to call the police. Keisuke smiled. It seemed that some of his work was already done; Wataru had at least some loyalty to him. The girl, however, didn't seem so convinced.

"Nago-san," Wataru said, acknowledging Keisuke.

"What are *you* doing here?" the girl asked. "Wataru, call the police."

"I think we can talk this out," Wataru told her. He smiled at Keisuke.

"Right, Nago-san?"

That was fine by Keisuke, because dealing with the police was annoyng and messy, and prevented him from doing what he needed to get done. He nodded.

"Wataru...." The girl whined, "He's-"

"Give him a chance, Shizuka-chan," Wataru said. "I think he just needs some help."

"He needs to be hauled off to jail, that's what he needs," the girl muttered, but Keisuke ignored her.

* * *

They sat down at a family restaurant, with Wataru insisting on paying, as if to defuse the situation. The girl that Wataru called "Shizuka-chan" sat defiantly next to him, with Keisuke sitting on the other side of the table. For all of her talk of Wataru being independent, she certainly wasn't beyond trying to control him herself. Keisuke just did it better.

Keisuke saw through Shizuka's pathetic little game. She was preparing Wataru to be a meek husband that she could manipulate. If her ignorant game hadn't been such a threat to the world, he wouldn't have minded it. Courting was a stupid thing, it distracted people from being their best.

But he did let Wataru talk to her here, where he could supervise them. Once he knew all he could, he'd turn Wataru's attention to what Shizuka was up to, and that would make Wataru realize what she wanted from him.

"I want what's best for Wataru, too," he told Shizuka. "He's different in ways that you possibly couldn't imagine." He wondered if Shizuka knew that one of Wataru's parents wasn't human. Probably she wouldn't care, or say she wouldn't. But he did.

"Um, Nago-san," Wataru said. "I appreciate what you're saying, but...."

"Rule number 1," Keisuke warned.

Wataru started, but continued his sentence. "I'm not interested in dating right now."

"That's fine," Keisuke said abruptly. "Neither am I."

"But you said...." Wataru trailed off, apparently not understanding.

"He just wants to run your life for you," Shizuka said, folding her arms.

Wataru nodded. "Nago-san, why do you want me to keep from sleeping with - um, certain women?" he asked.

"Certain women?" Keisuke echoed. He wanted Wataru to stop sleeping with all women, he didn't know why Wataru thought it was only certain women.

"Your rules," Wataru said, as if it made sense to everybody. "You said to not talk to any women and stay away from... certain people."

The Fangire. Wataru had come to an incorrect conclusion about what he wanted, but he had a good point. If Wataru passing on his power with a human partner was terrifying, it was even worse if Wataru fell for a Fangire. It was critical that he reinforced parts of the rules. "We'll talk about it later."

A wise man had once said that plans rarely stand up to the actual engagement. Wataru let everybody rule over him; Keisuke had to make it so that he was the only one who did.

"You'll talk about it here," Shizuka insisted. Keisuke glared at her.

"It's not something you should be involved in," he told her coldly.

"If it impacts Wataru, it involves me," she said. Beside her, Wataru's attention had wandered.

"Excuse me, I'll be back in a bit," Wataru said. "Shizuka-chan, could you order for me? You know what I like."

Shizuka nodded. Keisuke watched him leave, but turned his attention back to Shizuka. "You are nothing but a golddigger."

"And you are an abuser who Wataru can't stand up to," she responded. "If he can't call the police, I will. I'm his friend; you just want him."

"I want him to be the best that he can," Keisuke said. His argument with Shizuka was interrupted by a large crash outside. He automatically stood up.

Kiva was fighting with a Fangire.

He rushed out, not bothering to leave an order with Shizuka. Kiva and the Fangire had rolled out of sight, but he'd find them. Defeat the Fangire. Get Kiva as well.

By the time he found the fight, Kiva had gone into his new form and was shattering the Fangire's remains. While he would have preferred to go after the Fangire as well, Kiva was just as good as a target. "Kiva! Return that life to God!" He pulled out the IXA knuckle and henshined.

Kiva just stood there, and then his form blazed for a second. Keisuke had the impression of chains fading out as the form shimmered out.

Wataru stood there, not moving.


	10. Chapter 10

Wataru knew that dropping out of the Kiva armor could be suicidal around Nago-san. The man had nothing but contempt for Kiva, had stated repeatedly that Kiva was evil, and now Nago-san knew that Wataru was Kiva. But on the other hand, he couldn't really live with Nago-san trying to run his life, and Nago-san would have found out eventually anyway. Better to do it now, when Wataru had a chance in battle, than Nago-san killing him during the night at home.

The Kiva armor wasn't meant for use against IXA, and Wataru had attempted to avoid combat with Nago-san out of respect for the other man. But enough was enough, and since he was there, he might as well make use of it.

Nago-san fired. Wataru rolled. "Kivat!"

This was going to end badly, he could tell. He grabbed Kivat, completed the henshin, and came up as Kiva.

He stood up straight, silently daring Nago-san to attack him.

"You've been hiding what you were all the time," Nago-san said. "You're nothing but a damned Fangire." His voice was cold. Wataru moved to defend himself.

Wataru shivered. How could Nago-san think he was Fangire? He hated Kiva, true, but as far as Wataru knew, Kiva defended humanity against the Fangire, he wasn't Fangire himself. "Nago-san," he said. "I'm not a-" Then he thought better of finishing the sentence. Besides, this was a battle, not a negotiation; he'd either die or Nago-san would.

"How long have you been Kiva?" Nago-san asked, still in that same cold tone.

"Nago-san, I'm not a threat to you," Wataru said. "Whoever made you think that Kiva was evil is wrong. I'm not a Fangire. I'm not evil. I want to save the world, just like you." He doubted Nago-san would listen, but he wanted to say it to the other man before one or the other was destroyed. "I told you I was Kiva, when Megumi-san had that stalker...."

Nago-san shot at him, and he had to duck once more. So much for talking. "Shut up!" Nago-san said, and there was an edge in his voice that made Wataru want to back away.

But Wataru stood his ground. He thought about what transformation would be best to stop Nago-san, make Nago-san see that... well, not much, really. Nago-san wouldn't have the problem, of course, because Nago-san was Nago-san and Wataru was Wataru.

"Wataru," Kivat warned from his perch on Wataru's belt.

"Nago-san is a noble man," Wataru said. It wasn't really true, but whatever would bring Nago-san back into sanity was what he'd try.

IXA shook, and then stood still. "I'll spare your life," Nago-san said finally, "if you bow down before me."

"I can't do that, Nago-san," Wataru said. He prepared himself to fight, fingering the fuestles. Nago-san might be too quick for Dogga, and Garulu, while a possibility, wasn't as good as Basshaa. Or he could go Emperor Form, Tatsulot was still nearby. He just hated to use any of them against Nago-san.

Nago-san lunged forward, as if to grab Wataru by the waist. But it was Kivat he aimed for, forcefully detaching the bat. Wataru felt his armor go away as Nago-san lifted Kivat, leaving him at Nago-san's mercy. Apparently, Nago-san had no problems playing dirty, preferring to kill the defenseless Wataru instead.

He landed on the ground, Nago-as-IXA on top of him. "Nago-kun, what do you think you're doing?" Megumi-san said, running in.


	11. Chapter 11

Keisuke landed heavily on top of Wataru. His judgement had been correct - removing the bat-thing from the belt had forced Wataru to dehenshin - but his perfect plan had been ruined slightly by overbalancing. It allowed him a good view of Wataru's face.

Once he'd landed on Wataru, the half-Fangire hadn't struggled, just passively lying there. It meant that despite Wataru's words, there was some obedience in there; Wataru wasn't hopeless. And, as Wataru pointed out, he had told Keisuke the truth. He just hadn't told him the truth very clearly.

Ignoring Megumi, he considered his options. Wataru knew about his Fangire heritage, obviously, but he had to admit that he'd also not turned against humanity - yet. If Shima-san was correct, then all Keisuke had to do was control Wataru and he could turn something impure into something pure. Wataru was partially in his control anyway. He'd take Wataru to Wataru's house and then he'd interrogate him to see how much he knew and what powers he had. Shima-san had said something about passion and Wataru's powers. He got up off of Wataru, shifting out of IXA. He still had the Knuckle at hand, and he aimed it at Wataru.

"The only reason you're still alive is because you can be redeemed," he growled.

"Nago-kun, what do you think you're *doing*?" Megumi-san asked.

"He knows about his Fangire heritage," Keisuke told her, not taking his eyes off Wataru.

"Nago-san," Wataru pleaded, "I don't have Fangire heritage... well, as far as I know."

The bat-thing squirmed free. "Actually, Wataru...."

"Kivat?" Wataru asked, his attention drawn to the bat-thing. "Is he telling the truth?"

The bat-thing paused. "...Yes," it said finally.

"Kivat," Wataru said "Why-"

"It doesn't matter," Keisuke said, cutting him off. What had seemed so awful was turning into a perfect opportunity. Wataru would have to be controlled now, and everybody could see that Wataru was - or would be - subservient to him. Wataru probably wanted to be controled, to have his horrible heritage not be a threat. And he would understand why he couldn't date. Keisuke would continue to be his 'boyfriend' to keep the pretense up and to keep Wataru's hormones in line. "There's a lot to talk about."

"Shizuka-chan is waiting back at the restaurant," Wataru said. Keisuke remembered belatedly that before all the excitement had happened, the three of them had been planning to eat at a restaurant.

Keisuke fished Wataru's phone out of his pockets. "Call her and tell her that the meal's ended."

Wataru obediently did so. "Hello, Shizuka-chan? Yes, I'm sorry, can we do this later? Something important has happened. No, he's not threatening me. No, I'm okay. It's just something we have to talk about in private. No, I'm okay. Yes, I'm okay. Yes, I'm sure I'm okay. No, he didn't threaten me. I'll talk to you later, Shizuka-chan."

Keisuke waited impatiently for Wataru to finish the call. "You can keep that, for the moment," he said, indicating Wataru's phone. Wataru was defeated; he could afford to show how great a man he was while he worked on his new set of rules. "We should go to the Cafe Mald'Amour." He didn't want Wataru to know where they usually reported to Shima-san. Shima-san could go to the cafe and they could talk.

He didn't bother to hear Megumi's reply, and Wataru's didn't matter. He swept off, and was pleased to note that Wataru was following obediently behind. He drove Wataru to the Cafe and then bustled him into it. The cafe owner looked questioningly at him, but he headed straight for Shima-san. Behind him, the cafe owner headed for the door. Megumi came in behind the cafe owner.

"Megumi filled me in on some of what's going on," Shima said, once Keisuke, Wataru, and Megumi were at the table.

"Good," Keisuke said roughly. Wataru was watching the three of them with a rather confused expression. "I can control Wataru and Kiva."

"Wataru-kun," Shima-san said, turning to the half-Fangire, "How long have you known about your heritage?"

"I didn't know until Nago-san told me," Wataru said softly."And Kivat confirmed it. Which of my parents was the Fangire?"

"Does it matter?" Keisuke said. "All that matters is that part of your heritage is evil. We have to cleanse that, use it for good."

"He has been, Nago-kun," Megumi said. "I've never known Wataru-kun to attack a non-Fangire."

There was justice in Wataru's heart then, undiminished by being born to a Fangire. Kurenai Otoya had been a protector, too, and had passed on his values to his son. As Keisuke had suspected, all wasn't lost.

"If Fangire harm humans," Wataru said, "Then they have to be stopped. My father's violin tells me when they come; I can call Nago-san as well."

"Your father's violin?" Megumi asked. "The one that you often play?"

Wataru nodded. "Mom said that he built it for me. One day it started sounding and I heard a voice telling me to fight, and I walked out and found the Fangire, and Kivat showed me how to form the armor. I didn't know about it until that day."

The whole sentence was breathed almost in a rush. Keisuke was further gratified that the evil of the Kiva armor hadn't taken over Wataru; he was still teachable.

"I know a little about the Kiva armor, though your parents *swore* to me that they wouldn't do anything to have it manifest in you," Shima-san said, looking at Wataru. "Just be careful; your powers are tied to your feelings."

"How did all this happen? Why is Wataru supposed to be so powerful?" Megumi asked. Keisuke folded his arms and was about to tell her it didn't matter when Shima-san spoke.

"This is a long story," Shima-san said, "But I suppose it has to be told."


	12. Chapter 12

"Over twenty years ago," Shima-san said, looking at the three of them in turn, "Kurenai Otoya met the Fangire Maya. They fell in love, and got married. And then Maya announced that she was pregnant."

Megumi listened avidly to what Shima-san was saying. She couldn't imagine having a Fangire among the ranks of the Wondrous Blue Sky Assocation; it must have been quite a shock to Shima-san.

"Maya was also one of the Checkmate Four," Shima said. "Even stripped of her powers when she married Otoya, she was from a bloodline of Checkmate Four members. Her ancestors, generations upon generations, were all powerful Fangire. Anybody from a bloodline such as that can inherit being one of the Checkmate Four. She didn't know if Wataru had enough power to be one of the Checkmate Four, but she did think that he would inherit some abilities from her bloodline anyway. Being able to hold Kiva seems to be one of them - one that Wataru's inherited."

"So, I could potentially be...." Wataru let his thought trail off.

"A member of the Checkmate Four," Shima-san said. Nago-kun moved his chair closer to Wataru-kun's. "Not likely, but you have the potential. Maya wanted to raise you as one; I thought it best that you grow up as a human, not a Fangire, so I made her promise not to tell you." Shima-san folded his hands. "I forgot to tell her not to raise you like a royal Fangire, and she broke off contact with us after... everything that happened."

"But I wasn't raised royal at all," Wataru insisted. "She didn't encourage me to make friends, true, but I...."

"Maya told me a lot about how she was raised," Shima-san said, "And you act in some ways very much like a royal Fangire."

Megumi looked at her friend. Wataru-kun seemed still stunned by things, for which she certainly forgave him. She doubted that Wataru-kun knew what he was before Nago-kun had announced it to the world. "Wouldn't he act more... royal?" she asked. "Wataru-kun's so shy, and so not dominant."

"My mother had a very forceful personality," Wataru-kun mumbled. "She also thought I was above the rest of the world, so I didn't get to be around people much."

"What if Wataru is a member of the Checkmate Four?" Nago-kun asked sharply.

"I don't want to be," Wataru-kun said softly. He looked pleadingly at her and Shima-san.

"I understand from Maya that royalty don't get much of a choice in the matter," Shima-san said.

"I'm not going to be a member of the Checkmate Four," Wataru-kun said. It was amazing, Megumi thought, on how resolute he could be sometimes. At that moment, it was as if he was daring the Fangire to come in and carry him off.

"What powers have you shown?" Nago-kun asked.

Wataru shook his head. "I don't think any," he said. "Well, there is the call of the Bloody Rose, and I did find Megumi-san once by listening for her music in my head...."

Shima-san shook his head. "You have an incredible heritage, Wataru," he said. "One we don't know much on how it'll affect you."

"All the more reason to make sure you stay firmly on the side of humanity," Nago-kun added grimly. "And make sure that you don't pass on your bloodline to a new generation."

"Oh, is that why you don't want me sleeping with any female Fangire, Nago-san?" Wataru-kun asked, as if realizing something.

"Female *anything*," Nago-kun told him, crossing his arms. "One generation is enough. This is why I gave you *rules*, Wataru. Rules that will keep humanity safe."

"But Nago-san," Wataru-kun said, "I need to be able to talk to Shizuka-chan. And Megumi-san."

"He has a point," Shima-san said. "Besides, Wataru's powers - well, at least the Kiva powers - are emotion-based. Make him resent you, Nago-kun, and you'll end up with the nightmare we had last time."

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen," Nago-kun said, hauling Wataru out of his chair. "We'll find some new rules that will work."

Megumi watched the two leave. "This is heading for disaster," she said to Shima-san.

"I have to agree," Shima-san said. "But the only way those two are going to learn that is if they experience it themselves."

"And in the meantime? What will it mean if Wataru becomes part of the Checkmate Four?" Megumi asked. "How dangerous is he?"

"Well, the good news is that a lot of the problems we had with Kiva were that Otoya did not have Fangire ancestry; Wataru not only has that ancestry, but royal ancestry to boot. So he shouldn't have the Kiva armor go out of control like Otoya did. But emotion still ties into that power, so you and Nago-kun are going to have to be very careful on how you treat Wataru. I don't want him rejecting his humanity and embracing his Fangire heritage when he's the best chance we have to end the Fangire threat."

"Do you think he can?" Megumi asked, looking over at Shima-san.

Shima-san gave her a small shrug. "As I said, he's the best we've got. We can only hope."

Megumi planned to do far more than cope.


	13. Chapter 13

Keisuke hauled Wataru back to Wataru's house, his mind full of plans. It had become apparent to him that Wataru had been telling the truth about his lack of knowledge about his ancestry - the isolation by his mother had meant that he didn't know that most people didn't hang around flying, talking bats. Wataru's mother had been a strong individual, and she'd raised her son her own way. But at least thanks to Shima-san's promise, she'd at least been unable to raise Wataru out-and-out as a Fangire.

Which meant that Wataru had the upbringing to assume a role in the Checkmate Four, and for the moment, more ties to humanity than the Fangire. Keisuke had to change his plans to accommodate what would happen if Wataru became King, but also keep Kiva's weilder human. That would require keeping an eye on him, keeping him on the straight path. And if it meant making him a puppet ruler of the Fangire, Keisuke would do that.

Wataru could have his rebellious moments, but he was mostly a sheep. Keisuke had to wonder if that could have been Maya's form, and if Wataru could ever assume it. He hoped not, on both counts. He had seen a sheep Fangire before. It looked stupid, and had apparently been a really big pain.

He could deal with any other form Wataru had later. If he was to keep Wataru human, then he had to set out rules that were right. Wataru would follow his rules.

And then, maybe, he'd get his clothes back from that little golddigger.

"Rule one," he said. "Don't argue with me. That hasn't changed. Rule two. Don't date women. You know as well as I do why that's important. You can talk to them over the phone or in person. Rule three. Avoid Fangire unless you're fighting them. I'll figure out what to do if it turns out you're King. Rule four. The only person you sleep with is me." He couldn't imagine Wataru not having urges, and he'd have to handle them, for the sake of humanity.

"So, you're still going to pretend to be my boyfriend?" Wataru asked, not looking at him. "And sleep with me?"

"I have to, for the sake of humanity," Keisuke said. At least Wataru wasn't arguing with him. He could be shaped. Keisuke would take charge, IXA would be glorious. And with the two of them fighting side by side, they'd defeat the Fangire. "Especially if it turns out that you are their King, I'm sure you'll be called upon to continue the succession."

And if it turned out that Wataru was destined to be King, then of course Keisuke would take care of the Fangire another way.

"I'm relaxing some of the restrictions because *apparently* it's useful to have at least some women in my life, and I doubt Megumi's interested in you," Keisuke said. "How many people do you know?"

"Um." Wataru sat there, apparently thinking. "Well, you, and Megumi-san and Shima-san sort of, and the master of the cafe, and Mio-san and Shizuka-san and Kengo-san. I think that's it, currently."

Three of those he named were Wondrous Blue Sky members, one was sympathetic, one was that girl, one was someone he vaguely remembered Wataru was seeing, and one was a slightly over-enthusiastic rocker. Two people to worry about, then.

"I am a bit worried about Mio-san," Wataru said. "I haven't seen her for a few days - that was the waitress that spilled ice cream on us at the cafe, Nago-san. She's a lot like me. Megumi-san keeps urging us to date, Kengo-san likes her too. To date her, I mean."

Right. "I'll make sure she's all right," Keisuke said, "And that she's out of trouble. In the meantime, you'll stop dating her. I'll find someone for her." It sounded like the girl wouldn't be as much trouble as Shizuka-chan. She'd probably be grateful if someone found her a husband. Kengo was out of the question, as Kengo needed a strong person to keep him focused too. He would at least get a measure of who she was and if she was a threat.

"Thank you, Nago-san." Wataru looked relieved. He wasn't going to be hard to control at all, Keisuke reflected. Kiva or not, he was gentle. Pliable. Or at least he reserved his ferocity for where it should be, in battle.

Shima-san's warnings came back to him. Wataru's emotions were tied in to his powers. Keisuke could not be a tyrant, or even seem to be one. He would be Wataru's hero, Wataru's bedmate, the firm-but-not-unyeilding man that Wataru needed. Wataru looked up to him, and Wataru would continue to look up to him.

Because he was Nago Keisuke, and he did things right.


	14. Chapter 14

Wataru, sitting on the little couch in his workroom, had to admit that things were much better. Nago-san was more reasonable, and things made so much more sense when he knew what was going on. He understood why Shima-san had made his mother make that promise, but he wished that she hadn't.

He was Fangire – half, at least, from a powerful bloodline. If he had been full Fangire, he might have been King by default – and at least had some chance to ascend, or try to decline. He wasn't sure he felt like he could be part of the Fangire, Shima-san's words about his upbringing notwithstanding. He wanted to be human.

Was that what his mother had wanted for him? What would she have raised him as if she hadn't been bound to Shima-san's promise? Shima-san said he acted royal Fangire. He had no clue what that meant.

He had a bad feeling that in order to figure out the way to be who he was, regardless of what human or Fangire wanted him to be, he was in for a tough time. For all he knew, his powers as a Fangire – or the Fangire King – would manifest the next day. Nago-san was still paranoid enough to consider him manifesting as Fangire as a threat, unless it was someone he or the Wondrous Blue Sky Association could control, and the Fangire weren't likely to take to someone they perceived to be corrupted by humans. He wondered what the King of the Checkmate Four was supposed to act like, and concluded that it probably wasn't like him despite what Shima-san had said.

Wataru wished Omura-san was there. Omura-san would have known what to do. Or his mother. He had probably been the heir in waiting, probably was still the heir in waiting. He lacked friendly Fangire to ask. And Nago-san wouldn't let him do it anyway. The threat of punishments was still in effect. And Wataru had no desire to get in trouble with the people that were currently his allies.

Besides, he liked Megumi-san. Nago-san was idealistic at best, but he didn't understand. He considered the things in Wataru's world useless, only tolerating them because he didn't have much of a choice. Wataru didn't need a guardian, but if he'd had to choose from one, he'd have chosen Megumi-san, who understood him, not Nago-san, who didn't.

But he guessed he understood Nago-san. Nago-san wanted things to be pure, for things to be the best, and he genuinely worked towards saving humanity from the Fangire. Wataru couldn't fault him for that, and Nago-san's strength might be exactly what Wataru needed to stay sane and human. Nago-san was definitely blind to some things, and Wataru knew that he'd grow to understand, but it would take time.

His door opened to admit Shizuka-chan. “Wataru, you've got to call the police!” she said as he blinked at her. “He's evil. I don't care that he saved my life, he's selfish and evil and he probably wants to kill you!”

Wataru remembered the threats that Nago-san had given, and remembered that he'd forgotten them. “Nago-san is pretty closed-minded,” he said quietly.

“I remember reading something about some man in America that invited gay people over to his house and then killed them,” Shizuka insisted. “He'll kill you in your own home.”

“Only if he has reason to,” Wataru said, but he had to admit that Shizuka-chan wasn't paranoid. She just didn't understand Nago-san very well. He might not understand Nago-san much better than she did, but he did know why Nago-san did what he did.

Nago-san was afraid of the Fangire, and wasn't sure about Wataru and his small amount of power. Wataru definitely felt he was not going to be King, so Nago-san did't have to worry there.

“You're hopeless, Wataru,” Shizuka said. “I'm not going to watch my best friend get killed!”

“Um, you probably won't,” Wataru told her. “I don't think Nago-san is evil. Just, maybe, misguided?” Shizuka huffed. Wataru smiled at her. “I want to go to the park; I think I had some varnish ideas. Would you like to go with me, Shizuka-chan?” That would make her feel better for sure.

She smiled back. “I wouldn't let you go without me, Wataru. Who knows what other trouble you could get into!”

So, the two of them went out, Wataru remembering to lock his door. He and Shizuka went to the park. “I think some of the soil, this time,” he said.

Wrinkling her nose, Shizuka said, “Soil?”

“Well, it does have metal and minerals in it. Maybe it's what my father used.”

“It can't be any stranger than some of your other choices,” Shizuka allowed. “Okay. Did you bring-”

Wataru produced a spade and a pair of baggies. “I wonder if you can boil soil?” he asked.

“I don't know,” Shizuka admitted. “It's good to see you do something normal, though.”

Wataru grinned at her and shoveled. As he worked, he looked up and saw a man in a Christian Priest's outfit sitting on the benches, watching them. Since the man didn't seem to be interested in calling the police, Wataru paid him no other attention, returning to the task at hand.


	15. Chapter 15

Bishop watched the young man who he'd been keeping an eye on. He'd kept tabs on Maya's younger son the boy's entire life, mostly because there was a chance that he might inherit the King's mantle. The fact that he could handle Kiva's chained form was of little interest to Bishop; the whole point of the chained form was that somebody besides the King could handle it.

When Wataru started assuming the whole, complete form, things changed. Taiga showed no powers other than what might be expected of any Fangire; Wataru could handle Kiva's unchained form. With royal bloods, one could never tell what sibling might inherit the power, and in this case, it looked like Wataru was the one that had gotten it. In some cases, the power might go to a distant descendant, like with the current Queen.

Bishop had quietly searched the records. He knew that half-breeds occasionally happened; they seemed to lean one way or another at puberty, and those that went the Fangire way tended to be powerful from their hybrid ancestry, some of the toughest Fangire out there. But more of them leaned disappointingly human, which was why the rule was established millenia ago, and why the Queen's role was to wipe out that possibility.

But sometimes those children were born, and watched to see which way they'd go. If they went Fangire, they were helped through the sickness that accompanied the change to full Fangire; if they didn't, they were left in sad human ignorance. Wataru had been left in that ignorance when he didn't change. Obviously the next time such a half-breed happened in a royal bloodline, they had to be watched past apparent human puberty just like their full part-siblings.

To buy Wataru time to complete his change, Bishop had sent out a challenge; defeat Rook, have the chance to be King. He knew that there would be contenders lining up, all boasting of their connection to a royal bloodline, or at least the ability to start one.

"Wataru? Wataru?" The young human's call brought him out of his contemplation. Wataru was looking distinctly dizzy, but waved the girl off.

"I'm okay, Shizuka-chan. Just... it was hot, all of a sudden." The King-to-be smiled at his companion. Bishop blinked. Was Wataru finally showing signs of the change? Perhaps maybe Kiva's unchained form was the trigger to the change that should have happened in puberty.

"No, you don't look well," the girl insisted. "I'll take you to the hospital, Wataru. Maybe *he's* done something to you."

Bishop had no clue who the 'he' was, but it was time to take action. "May I help?" he inquired, striding over. He knew of a doctor, a Fangire, who could confirm his observations. If he told her that it was a late puberty, she'd believe him.

"I'm okay, Shizuka-chan," Wataru said, with a little more force. "Just... let's go home."

"I think the young woman is right," Bishop said. "You don't look well." Gaining the King's trust would prove helpful when Wataru's full powers manifested. Half-human or not, Wataru was - would be - a member of the Checkmate Four. Bishop wanted things to work more smoothly with Wataru than they had with Mio. "You should go see a doctor. I know one nearby, at the clinic. I'm sure she'd be happy to take a look at you."

"I'm fine," Wataru said obstinately, not looking at Bishop or the human beside him. He got up and had to immediately sit down again. "In a few minutes."

"The clinic is only a block or two away," Bishop told the human. "I suggest we take him there."

The human, showing a grasp of logic, nodded. "Okay. Wataru? We're going to the clinic."

"Not moving," Wataru muttered.

Bishop sighed and pulled out his cell phone and dialed. "Takamoto-san?"

"Yes?" the woman answered the phone abruptly, then softened her tone. "Oh, my lord Bishop...."

"I have a young man who's not feeling very well; he's very stubborn. I'd like someone with your specialized medical experience to come look at him. We're at the park down a few blocks from you, off the garden path...."

"Understood," she said. "I'll be there as soon as possible. With the... special tests." Message received and understood.

"Thank you," he said, then hung up. He knelt next to Wataru. "I have a friend coming. She's a doctor. She'll look at you."

Bishop hoped that Wataru wouldn't prove to be stubborn with him. He disliked having to use force. He stayed by Wataru's side until Dr. Takamoto arrived. He drew her aside. "This is a halfbreed; I have a suspicion that his Fangire blood is showing. I want to know if it's that or if he's just crippled by some temporary human ailment."

Dr. Takamoto nodded. "What's his name?"

"Kurenai Wataru," Bishop said. "Call him Wataru for the moment. I don't want to reveal our hand."

"Understood," she said, and walked towards the pair. "Hello, I understand your name is Wataru. My name is Dr. Takamoto. I also understand you're not feeling too well?"

"He got dizzy," the girl said.

"Just for a moment," Wataru muttered. Dr. Takamoto just smiled at him.

"I want to see if this is simple overheating, or if there's another problem," Takamoto said. "I want to make sure you don't get heat exhaustion. Okay?"

Bishop watched as the doctor performed tests. She even took a bit of blood. "It sounds like you need to get into the shade, Wataru, you're too hot. How about you go home and rest?"

"We can do that," the girl said, pulling Wataru up.

"Keep him in cool temperatures, make him rest. If he continues to run a fever, please call me," Dr. Takamoto said, handing the girl a card. "There might be other things going on that are not obvious."

The girl nodded. "Come on, Wataru," she said, helping Wataru up.

Dr. Takamoto stopped next to Bishop. "If you're guessing late puberty, then you're right," she said. "I would suggest eliminating the girl and then bringing him to me. I can educate him about his Fangire blood."

"I plan to explain that myself," Bishop said, reminding the woman that he outranked her. "I'm aware of what needs to be done; I just needed confirmation."

"Understood," she said, obviously disappointed. Bishop had to wonder what she suspected about Wataru. He watched her as she left.

He caught Wataru as the new King almost fainted again. "Here, I'll help you take him back," he said.

The girl smiled, and Bishop smiled back. He looked forward to eliminating her.


	16. Chapter 16

Shizuka was grateful for the man's help. Wataru was definitely not feeling well and the doctor might not have thought it had to do with that man, but Shizuka thought so. Maybe she'd call the doctor and have the woman look at Wataru again. Or maybe the woman would seek Wataru out if he'd been poisoned or something like that.

The gate for Wataru's house came into sight, much to Shizuka's relief. Megumi-san was ringing the doorbell, but stopped as the two of them came into her view. She rushed forward to take one of Wataru's arms for Shizuka, while Shizuka unlocked his gate and his door. The man and Megumi-san got Wataru up the stairs and then down the stairs to his bedroom/living room. Wataru was maneuvered, still protesting, into bed, and then Megumi-san sat down. "Please, sit down too," Shizuka said to the man who had helped her get Wataru back to his house. "Would you like some water? Tea?"

"Tea would be good," he said, smiling at her. She was struck by the fact he looked so much like a christian priest; was he one?

"Megumi-san?" The girl turned next to Megumi-san. "What would you like?"

"Tea is fine, also," The woman assured her.

Shizuka bounced into Wataru's kitchen and put on his kettle, selecting the most conservative tea from his varieties. She made the tea fairly swiftly, selecting two of Wataru's mugs and bringing his visitors some tea. She then headed back into the kitchen and made some iced tea from a mix for Wataru.

Soon, Wataru was glaring at her and sipping at his iced tea while Megumi-san and the stranger enjoyed theirs.

"I'm glad to help," the man said. He looked at Shizuka. "I don't know how adept your friend is at going to doctors, or even if he has one, but she is very good."

Shizuka nodded. Getting Wataru to go to the doctor had always been difficult. Maybe he could be persuaded to go to this one.

"Are you both this young man's friend?" the man asked, raising his eyebrows. "And is there anything else I can help with?"

"I've known Wataru since he was fifteen," Shizuka boasted. She was not his first friend - that had been somebody named Taiga, apparently - but she was the friend who had stuck by him. Megumi-san was nice, but Shizuka had been there for the long term. "Megumi-san, haven't you known him only a few months?"

Megumi-san nodded. "He's come a long way since I met him."

Shizuka thought about this, and smiled. "He has," she agreed. Wataru had developed as a person, which meant that he was starting to be a regular person. Okay, a regular person who had to be a weirdness magnet. Or a person magnet. She wasn't the only one finding him attractive anymore.

He had to be a weirdness magnet if a guy wanted him. Nago Keisuke had saved her once, yes. But he was not Wataru's boyfriend, Wataru liked girls if his time with Mio-san was any indication. And if she had to, she'd step back for Mio-san if it meant that he'd be dating a girl.

"And thank you for helping out," Shizuka said to the stranger. She smiled at him, hoping he wasn't falling for Wataru too. Guys seemed suspect at the moment.

The man smiled back. "Maybe I'll run across the two of you sometime," he said. "This place looks fascinating." He got up. "I'm afraid that I have some souls to save."

Shizuka blinked. "You're a Christian priest?"

"Not... precisely," the man said. "But people expect me to look this way, so I do." He got up and smiled again. "If one of you would show me the way out...."

Shizuka got up as well. "Here, it's right this way," she said. She escorted the man out the gates and and watched him saunter off. She then returned to Wataru's house.

Kivat was waiting for her at the top of the stairs. "Shizuka," he said in a low voice. "I've seen that man before. I don't think you should let him or that doctor near him again."

Shizuka frowned. Kivat was a good companion to Wataru, and he usually had a head on his shoulders. She had no clue where Kivat came from, but Wataru trusted him.

Kivat followed her down the stairs, which was unusual for him. He usually didn't make himself known around strangers, and she was lucky to have figured out he wasn't a sculpture.

"Thank you for the tea, Shizuka-chan," Megumi-san said. Kivat flapped down to hover around Wataru. "Are you all right?"

"The man that brought Wataru in," Kivat said, "I don't trust him."

Megumi-san understandably stared. She'd probably never seen Kivat before.

"Um, this is Kivat," Wataru said, indicating the flying bat-creature. "He's a friend."

"And you are the Modigliani woman!" Kivat exclaimed.

"Kivat!" Wataru got half up before Shizuka glared him back into lying down.

"Why don't you trust him?" Megumi-san said, addressing Kivat as if she'd known him for a while.

"I've just seen him before," Kivat said, "When I was very young and... well, when I was very young. When Wataru was a baby. He knew Wataru's mother when Wataru was a baby."

Megumi-san nodded, and Shizuka had to wonder what the other woman was thinking.

And then the door above slammed open, and heavy footsteps revealed Shizuka's worst nightmare.


	17. Chapter 17

"You!"

Keisuke would have winced if he were a lesser man. However, the girl wasn't of great concern to him. "I'm surprised people halfway across Tokyo didn't hear that," he said calmly.

"Nago-san," Wataru said from down below. Keisuke noted Megumi's presence as well.

"What are you doing here?" the girl demanded.

Keisuke smiled. "I'm here to see my boyfriend, of course."

"He's not your boyfriend!" The girl exclaimed, blocking the staircase.

"Of course he's my boyfriend," Keisuke said, still smiling, and leaned on the railing. "Right, Wataru?"

"Yes," Wataru said, though a touch more hesitant than Keisuke would have liked. He'd have to work on that with Wataru if he was to get the girl out of the way.

"Shizuka-chan," Megumi said, "Let me talk to him." What she wanted to say, Keisuke had no idea, but he hoped it wasn't some kind of stupid plea. She knew the danger of Wataru having kids as much as he did. "I'll reason with him."

"But he may have gotten Wataru sick!"

That was an interesting accusation. "Then I'll deal with him," Megumi said. "Because our boss would be *very* unhappy and he'd be out of a job."

"Shizuka-chan," Wataru said, "It might also help if you returned his clothes?"

Shizuka harumphed. "All right."

"And Shizuka-chan? Do you remember where I put the phone number for Dr. Takada?" Wataru asked. "From what... well from what was just said, I might want to see him."

"It's in your address book, which is in your workshop," Shizuka said. "You need to put him in your phone."

"Well, I don't call him that often!" Wataru exclaimed.

"Take good care of him, Megumi-san," Shizuka-chan said. "I trust you."

Megumi smiled. "I'll make sure Wataru doesn't come to any harm while he's here," she promised. "Can you get me that address book for Wataru?"

"Certainly!" Shizuka skipped up the stairs and looked among Wataru's things. She tossed a small book down. "Megumi-san, catch!"

After glaring at Keisuke, she left. He could hear the doors slam, and locked the door to Wataru's workshop. He then proceeded downstairs.

"What happened?" Keisuke demanded, sitting on Wataru's bed, pointedly ignoring the chair that Shizuka had vacated.

"I got sick," Wataru said from behind him. "While I was gathering varnish ingredients with Shizuka-chan. This man showed up, and he helped Shizuka-chan take me home, and he also got a doctor that said I'd overheated. And Kivat says that he's seen the man before."

"Kivat?" And then he remembered the bat-thing that was Wataru's henshin device. "And wrong how?" He looked around for the bat-thing.

"He implied that the man was a Fangire," Megumi said. "Which means that the doctor that saw Wataru might be Fangire too."

"Her clinic's not far from the park," Wataru said.

Keisuke, had he not been a model of perfection, probably would have cursed out loud. "Do we know the doctor's name?"

Megumi shook her head. "I don't remember," Wataru admitted. "I'd know her if I saw her."

"If you see the woman again," Keisuke said, "*call me*. Same for this man." Wataru had royal Fangire blood, which meant that either of them could be a royal court lackey, come to evaluate and take away their potential king. "Do you remember what he looked like?"

"Like a Christian priest, but he said he wasn't," Wataru said. "Did you remember him giving Shizuka-chan a name, Megumi-san?"

Megumi shook her head. "No, I didn't." She was paging through the address book. "I'm amazed you have a doctor, Wataru-kun."

"I have one... he's the one I've had ever since I can remember. Mother said I was really special and so I had to go to a special doctor."

"Fangire," Keisuke growled. He'd have to get something out of Wataru's doctor. If needed be, he'd kill Wataru's doctor.

"Maybe," Wataru said. "Dr. Takada's been old for a very long time."

"I'll call him," Megumi said, dialing a number on her phone. "Hello, Dr. Takada? Yes, my name is Aso Megumi, and I'm a friend of Kurenai Wataru-kun. He's sick, can you see him?" She paused. "I'm not sure what it is; I wasn't there. He's overheated, though." She paused once again. "Thank you, Dr. Takada. We'll be here." She hung up the phone. "He's coming over."

Keisuke gave a brief, curt nod, and remembered that he'd locked the upstairs door. He got up to unlock it, hoping Shizuka would not come back.

The doctor arrived about twenty minutes later, much to Keisuke's annoyance. He was old, though, and moved a bit stiffly. Keisuke put on his politest smile and escorted the doctor through Wataru's home.

"Hello, Wataru-kun," Dr. Takada said with a smile as he settled down on a chair that Megumi had moved over to Wataru's bedside. "I understand you're not feeling well."

"I was at the park today, and I... guess I overheated," Wataru said. "And I felt dizzy."

"Have you run a temperature at all this week?" Dr. Takada asked as he started to poke Wataru as only a doctor could.

"Once or twice, I guess, while I was working on stuff," Wataru admitted.

"And have you felt like you've had ants running across your skin, or momentary, sharp pains?" Dr. Takada asked.

Wataru nodded. "The first time, I thought I was going to pass out."

"Hm," Dr. Takada said, sitting back on his chair. "I don't think it's anything life-threatening, but you will want to cut down on anything really taxing for the next month or three."

"Dr. Takada," Wataru said suddenly, "are you a Fangire?"

The doctor had a sudden coughing fit. "How long have you known?"

"I found out about my mother recently," Wataru said, "And my ancestry. And my mother said you were a very special doctor, so I thought that you either were one or knew about the Fangire. Nago-san and Megumi-san know about Fangire, too."

Keisuke suddenly wanted to hide his face in his hands. Why did Wataru have to be so honest about certain things?

"Ah, you must be part of that Blue whatever organization," Dr. Takada said, turning to look at the both of them. "Well, I suppose I better explain things in a little more detail, then." He looked at Megumi. "Perhaps the young woman would like to fetch me some water?"

"The kitchen's at the door behind you, Megumi-san," Wataru said. Megumi got up and, after a minute or two, returned with some water for the doctor. Keisuke himself wasn't keen on having a Fangire anywhere near Wataru, but at least this one seemed to be allied to Maya and Wataru.

"Thank you, my dear," the doctor said. "Ha-crossbreeds like yourself, Wataru, sometimes go through a second, simultaneous puberty that basically rewrites portions of their DNA, awakens other parts, until they become Fangire. Yours has been, for some reason, delayed. But you are going through that second puberty now." Dr. Takada took a sip of the water. "I won't lie here; you are going to have a difficult next three months or so while your body changes."

Wataru visibly gulped. Keisuke leaned forward. "Is there any way to stop this?" he asked. Wataru deserved a chance to be human, to be noble, to resist being Fangire.

"No," Dr. Takada said. "Wataru is going to be Fangire. I wouldn't stop it for the world." The old man's voice had become firm. "Why would I leave him as a human when his heritage says otherwise? I will help him through this, but I will not stop it."

There was determination in the Fangire's eyes. Keisuke hoped that there would be a way to stop the whole thing, but in the meantime, Maya had apparently trusted this doctor, and so at least he could render medical treatment for Wataru.

"So, what are we looking for," Megumi said, "And what needs to be done?"

Dr. Takada smiled at her in the way only gentle old men could. "Wataru needs to rest as much as possible. Light walks, light exercise, no heavy exertion unless I give permission. Definitely no wearing the King's Armor in this state."

"Violin making?" Wataru asked.

"Only until you get tired," Dr. Takada said. He looked at Megumi and Keisuke. "I'm entrusting him to you two."

"I'll move in and make sure Wataru doesn't exert himself," Keisuke volunteered. It would be the perfect excuse to keep Wataru subservient even as he changed. If Keisuke didn't find a way to stop that change.

"That's a good idea," Dr. Takada said. "Wataru was always good at disobeying medical orders. I'll feel better if Wataru has someone to watch him. He needs as much bed rest as possible. The more bed rest he gets, the better."

Keisuke nodded. "Doctor, out of curiosity, would you consider sex to be exertion?"

"Of course," Dr. Takada said, with some confusion. "But I didn't know that Wataru was sexually active...."

"Uh, Nago-san...." Wataru clammed up as Keisuke glared at him.

The doctor was suddenly studying him. "Wataru, as a Fangire, can do much better." His voice dripped with disapproval. "He's of royal heritage. He'll find a Fangire female someday and continue his own kind." He looked at Wataru. "Bed rest. Light exertion. No fighting, and no sex."

"Um, Nago-san and I aren't doing that," Wataru squeaked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Wataru. I though he implied you two were sleeping together," Dr. Takada's voice became more conciliatory. "But you definitely are not fighting anything right now. And if I hear that the King's Armor has been seen after I told you to stay in bed... well, even if you are royal blooded, you are going to regret it. If your own body doesn't make you regret it first."

"And if somehow he sneaks by us and goes into the armor, what'll happen?" Megumi asked.

"Well, he *might* get through the fight okay," the doctor said, looking at her. "Then again, he might not, and that could prove fatal anyway. And if neither of those happen, he'll certainly be collapsing from the strain. In some ways, going to the pure form of the King's Armor will accelerate the change, but he'll pay for it in spades."

Wataru was not taking that well, Keisuke could tell. "We'll take good care of him," he promised with his most winning smile.

"See that you do," Dr. Takada said. He got up. "That you for the water, miss."

"No problem," Megumi-san said. "Let me help you back out, Dr. Takada."

The doctor smiled as Megumi escorted him back out.

"We're going to stop this if we can," Keisuke promised the half-Fangire. "You can't go into that new form that you have." If anything was the "pure form", Wataru's shiny new form had to be it. "So you'll have to stay home, rest, and not fight. Just as the doctor said."

"But Nago-san," Wataru whined, but Keisuke ignored the whininess. Partly, anyway. He knew why Wataru wanted to fight, and it was commendable, but he couldn't be permitted to fight if it drove him closer to being Fangire.

Sex, on the other hand, would keep him especially tired out and might delay his change. "I admire your desire to fight for justice," Keisuke said, "But unless you want to turn into a monster, you're going to have to stay out of your armor."

Wataru nodded. "And Shizuka-chan's not going to be too happy, either. Of course, she doesn't know why I'll be sick."

"I'll take care of Shizuka-chan, and your friend - Mio, was it? I'll make sure your friends are taken care of. In the meantime, you are going to rest." There would be time to slow down the transformation later. "Understood?"

"Understood, Nago-san," Wataru mumbled. Keisuke nodded, and stepped over to Wataru's bed to tuck him in. The small, silly gesture made Wataru smile as he closed his eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

Wataru woke up to find Nago-san sleeping on his bed. Well, perhaps "finding" wasn't the right world; Nago-san had crowded into bed with him the previous night, after growling that Wataru should remember not to argue with him.

He crawled over Nago-san's sleeping form to make breakfast. He figured cooking was okay; his doctor would have put him in some kind of facility if he couldn't. As he was setting the table, Nago-san yawned and stretched.

"Good morning, Nago-san," Wataru said, smiling. Nago-san just looked at him for a moment, and then moved to the table, as if realizing that breakfast was served. Wataru watched proudly as Nago-san ate his  
cooking.

"I'm going out after I get dressed," Nago-san said. "Do whatever you have to do, within doctor's restrictions."

"What if a Fangire attacks, Nago-san?" Wataru asked. "There's no way I won't know. The Bloody Rose will tell me to fight...."

"You are going to follow doctor's orders until we find a way to stop you transforming into a Fangire," Nago-san said, grabbing Wataru by his shirt. "I don't want that doctor interfering, and he's made it clear that he will if you fight. Besides, that new form of yours will change you into a Fangire faster. Do you want to risk that?"

"N-no, Nago-san," Wataru stammered. Nago-san was right, he didn't want to be Fangire and so he'd have to ignore its call. Hard, but not impossible.

"Good," Nago-san said. He released Wataru's shirt. "And if you do run across the two that you encountered yesterday - what do you do?"

"Get away from them and call you, Nago-san," Wataru said obediently.

"Correct," Nago-san said, getting up. He selected some clothes from the suitcase and started dressing while Wataru cleaned up the dishes. He was gone by the time Wataru finished cleaning up his meal. Wataru started on his own.

Wataru worked in his workshop, trying to replicate the violin parts that he didn't remember making. His doorbell rang, so he went down to answer it. For once, the person at the gate wasn't a salesperson, though she did look familiar. He placed her as soon as she spoke. "Hello, Wataru," She said. "I was on my way to the clinic, and since my friend mentioned where you lived, I thought I should come see you."

"Oh. Hi," Wataru said uncertainly, trapped between Nago-san's instructions and ingrained politeness. "I'm feeling better, thank you." It wasn't a lie; he did feel better. At the moment, at least.

"That's actually why I wanted to see you," the woman said. "You have a very rare illness that's only starting to manifest itself. I'd like to come inside and explain. Your health is at stake."

His doctor had said how rare it was for part-Fangire to change to full Fangire. This woman was probably going to say the same things, without mentioning the Fangire part. "But my doctor said I was fine," Wataru said, attempting to feign confusion.

"You aren't fine," the doctor said insistently. "I've seen this before. You're going to be very sick, Wataru, and I'd like to bring you in for care."

Wataru smiled politely. "Thank you, but I'm fine. Your tests might be wrong, possibly?"

She frowned, but he bowed slightly at her and shut his gate. "Thank you for your concern, though."

He hurried back to his house while trying to make it seem like he wasn't doing just that. once inside, he grabbed his cellphone and selected Nago-san's number. "Nago-san?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes?" Nago-san sounded irritated. Wataru peeked out the window. The doctor was still out there.

"You said to call if one of those two showed up. Well, one of them's at my gate- she's more evasive, but she's saying the same things my doctor did."

"I'll be right there," Nago-san promised grimly. "You - where are you?"

"In my workshop, keeping an eye on her," Wataru said.

"Good," Nago-san responded. "Stay there. Don't move."

Wataru nodded. "I won't," he promised.

He watched the doctor, who seemed to be deciding something. She then opened his gate and proceeded to his very unlocked front door. He locked his upstairs door in time. "Wataru," the doctor said through the door, "You have no clue how sick you're going to get. Let me in so I can explain it to you."

"Um. Sorry," Wataru called. "But I'm fine. Really!"

"Stubborn halfbreed," he heard through the doorway, confirming her identity as a Fangire and just as much confirming that he didn't want her as his doctor.

As he edged back, he saw Nago-san pull up to his gate. Just in case the doctor decided to use more than words, he glanced at Kivat. "Kivat," he said, very quietly, and Kivat awoke. If the need was dire, then people should forgive him.

"Who are you?" he heard Nago-san ask the woman.

"I'm his doctor. Who are you?" the woman challenged.

"I'm his boyfriend," Nago-san said. "And I know his doctor is a man. So, who are you?"

"The doctor he *needs*," the woman answered. Things were silent for a moment, and then he heard Nago-san activate the IXA knuckle.

"Kivat," he said, tensing and reaching out for his companion. He momentarily wondered who would kill him first - the Fangire, Nago-san, or his own doctor.


	19. Chapter 19

The Fangire had suddenly shifted out of its human guise, attempting to drain him. Keisuke ducked, and cursed Wataru for leaving his front door unlocked. There wasn't any room to maneuver right there unless he wanted to destroy the walls of Wataru's house, which would be all Wataru's fault. At least the upstairs door seemed to be locked. He transformed into IXA, rushing into the monster.

The door behind the monster broke open, spilling them both into Wataru's violin workshop. Wataru himself was standing there, belt on, Kivat in hand, as if ready to transform against Keisuke's - and the doctor's - orders. "Stop that and run," Keisuke growled.

"But-" Wataru seemed to hesitate.

"Rule 1!"

The Fangire shot at Wataru, hitting him in a leg. "You need bed rest anyway," she said as Wataru collapsed, holding his leg. "Don't worry, you'll heal. Faster than you think."

Keisuke grabbed her and swung her around, but she only laughed. "I don't believe in a fair fight," she said, as she swung him into some metal shelving. He released her, and she was soon out the newly-broken door.

As Keisuke stumbled to the window, he could see the Fangire in human form running out the courtyard to Wataru's front gate. He then ran downstairs to lock Wataru's front door, and then came back up. "Your leg?"

"Hurts," Wataru gasped.

Keisuke frowned, and looked at Wataru's leg. There was a nasty burn mark on one leg where the shot had pierced the fabric. "Here, let me get you to bed."

Wataru, much to his satisfaction, didn't argue. Keisuke assisted him down and onto the bed. "And what did I say about transforming?" Keisuke asked.

"Don't," Wataru answered, grimacing in pain. He was in pain; that was enough warning and punishment for disobeying orders.

Keisuke looked up at the door. "It's not safe for you here, that Fangire could come back, and she knows where you live." The fact that she disabled Wataru was a good indication that she meant to come back for him.

"But where do I live then?" Wataru asked, inspecting his leg.

"My house," Keisuke said. It had the benefit of being fairly private and he'd be away from that girl who seemed to think she owned Wataru. "In the meantime, did she mention the name to you at all?"

"No, but...." Wataru fumbled around. "Nago-san, my cellphone's up in my workshop. Shizuka would know, if I called her."

Keisuke frowned, but had to concede silently that she was more likely to talk to Wataru than himself. He hurried up the stairs, grabbed the phone, and took it down to Wataru. Wataru punched a sequence of buttons on the phone. "Shizuka-chan, I don't suppose you remember where that clinic is, and the doctor's name? Thanks." He looked up at Keisuke. "Okay. I'll hold on while you look."

A minute later, Wataru was grabbing a pencil and paper from near his bed. "Yes, go ahead." He wrote a series of numbers down. "Thank you, Shizuka-chan. No, I'm not going there right now, I just want to know, just in case. No, Nago-san is not abusing me. I'm sure. Yes, I will go and see a doctor if there's a problem, I promise you, Dr. Takada or this new doctor, Dr. Takamoto. I promise." He nattered on for a few more minutes while Keisuke grabbed the paper and read the location and name. After Wataru finally hung up, Keisuke said, "Pack your bags, pack your violin, we're going." He didn't want to hear Wataru play violin, but he didn't have much of a choice. The thing would keep Wataru distracted. Once Keisuke finished off the Fangire, it would be safe for him to come home.

Besides, he liked his beds a lot bigger than Wataru's small one. His would accomodate both of them comfortably. Once Wataru's leg healed - and at least Wataru's Fangire blood probably meant it would heal fast - he'd distract the violinist other ways.

"My door," Wataru said, and Keisuke remembered that the Fangire had busted Wataru's upstairs door.

"You'll have time to fix it after I take care of that insane Fangire," Keisuke said. "Do you remember when that Fangire kidnapped Megumi?"

"Of course I do," Wataru said. "It's when you asked me if I'd seen Kiva."

"Yes, yes," Keisuke said. "In any case, I don't want to wake up to find out that you're missing. Or come home to find you're missing. So, you'll stay at my place."

Wataru limped around, gathering his things, until Keisuke impatiently started fetching for him. He hunted up a violin case for Wataru's violin under Wataru's direction as well, swatting off Wataru's curious henshin devices.

Then he realized that he didn't have room on his motorcycle. He frowned. "I'm bringing a car. Stay there and don't answer the door. Understand?"

Wataru nodded. "Kivat and Tatsulot can tell me who it is," he said with confidence. "I can call you if she shows up again."

It sounded like a sensible plan, so Keisuke got the keys from Wataru, got on his bike, went home, and traded it for his car. He drove the car back to Wataru's place, and was relieved to find the gate and door still locked, and Wataru still on his bed.

"We're going," Keisuke said, pulling Wataru up.


	20. Chapter 20

Bishop watched as Taiga walked towards him. In some ways his adoptive son ever since Maya had gone rogue, Taiga was his eyes and ears, his most reliable operative. The boy should have been King, Bishop would have preferred that to breaking in Wataru, but inheritances were funny things, and Wataru had gotten the position. They had to made do with what they had.

Taiga sat down across from him. "That doctor is going to be an annoyance. Dr. Takamoto, I mean. She attempted to break into Wataru's house this morning, and something drove her out in a hurry. I dropped by her clinic and had a talk with her."

"Does she suspect?" Bishop asked. The woman had to suspect. She could become a liability extremely quickly.

"I think she does," Taiga said. He rested his chin on his folded hands. "Given your seeming interest in him. But the more important thing is that she attempted to grab him - and would have succeeded, except he apparently has a boyfriend - who has the armor that humans created to fight us. The best she could do, she said, was to wound Wataru, and she claims she did *that* because it would keep him down and resting while his body changed. She asks for your consideration in making her the royal doctor and said that his apparently isn't Fangire."

Bishop absently noted the outrage in Taiga's tone. Taiga considered himself Wataru's protector - and he was an excellent choice for Wataru's bodyguard, thanks to the armor that Bishop had developed for him. "I know he has a doctor - you both share the same doctor."

"Who is a Fangire," Taiga said. "As it should be." Bishop had to agree; leaving even a halfbreed like Wataru in the care of a human doctor was unconscionable. "I don't see Dr. Takada not telling him that he's going through the change, even if he doesn't tell him why."

Bishop nodded. "And where is Wataru, and how are we progressing in wiring his house?" Bishop knew it was going to be needed to control the young king.

"The human that chased her off took off with him," Taiga said. "We can start wiring up his house while he's gone, but...."

"Do it," Bishop said. "In the meantime, keep an eye on him. Find out who this human is. Eliminate the human."

Taiga nodded. "And telling Wataru about his nature and his bloodline?"

"I will be stopping by, as a concerned and appropriately apologetic person," Bishop said. "In due time. I also want you to 'accidentally' meet up with him." He spotted Wataru's young, ignorant human friend. She would make a good meal someday, but in the meantime, she should make a good source of information. "Befriend him. Bring me in as somebody you trust. I'm sure that he would be grateful for help in his time of need."

Taiga nodded as the young human approached their table. "Hi," she said.

Bishop smiled. "Hello there, young woman. How is your friend? Please, sit down."

She smiled back and sat. "Well, he was tired, but he called me last night and said he was feeling better. I'm a little worried, though." She looked at Taiga hesitantly, as if unsure whether to air her grievances with him present.

"May I present Nobori Taiga, a member of my flock," Bishop said. "I'm afraid I don't remember your name, miss-"

"Nomura Shizuka," she said, looking at him and then Taiga. "My friend - Wataru - had a friend named Taiga."

Taiga smiled at her. "If his surname is Kurenai, then we might know the same person."

Her eyes widened. "It sounds like we do!" She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to trouble you both."

"It's all right," Bishop said. "Tell me and Taiga what's worrying you. I like your young man, Wataru, and it sounds like Taiga's old friend could use some help."

"Well...." the young woman said hesitantly, "A few days ago, this guy - who Wataru's been hanging about with - turned up and said he was Wataru's boyfriend. He has this list of rules that Wataru has to obey, or else. He's a bounty hunter, and he's absolutely scary."

"What's the man's name?" Taiga prompted. "I saved Wataru from bullies before; I can do it again."

"I don't really know his first name," she said. "Wataru always calls him Nago-san." Bishop filed the information away, as he knew Taiga was doing. It was easier to find and eliminate the man that way.

"You've told your Wataru that he's being abused?" Bishop asked.

She nodded rapidly. "Yes, but he seems to be always on the man's side. I'm scared for him. I mean, Wataru's too young for anyone, but at least Mio-san is a girl and she's a lot like Wataru."

"I'll go and see Wataru," Taiga volunteered. "See if I can get this bully to stay away from him. In the meantime, I think you should get him to see this Mio-san - does he like her?"

"Very much," she admitted. "Here, I have a picture." She dug out her phone and pressed buttons. "See?"

The picture, Bishop was surprised to see, was of the current Queen. He smiled at the coincidence, that the Queen had found her King without prompting. "She looks like a very nice girl," he said. "I think Taiga's advice is good on this matter."

The girl nodded reluctantly, and Bishop had to wonder if she carried a torch for Wataru herself.

"It'll be great to catch up with Wataru," Taiga said. "I recently moved back to the area, and I... he hasn't moved, has he? Still in that white house with the stairway entrance?"

She nodded. "Yes, it's the same house."

"I'll definitely watch out for him," Taiga said. He smiled at her. "Thank you for watching over him while I was gone - Wataru's such a pushover, I worried about him too."

"You're welcome," she said. "Let's talk some other time. I apologize for leaving, but...."

"We understand," Taiga said. "See you sometime!"

She skipped off. Once she was out of earshot, Taiga asked, "Okay, when can we eliminate her?"

"As soon as she's of no use to us," Bishop replied, watching the human girl. "Our main problem is this Nago."

Taiga nodded. "Something's going on, more than this girl suspects," he said. "I think humans that know are trying to align against us, or at least use Wataru to their benefit. We have to save him."

"I agree." Taiga was naive when it came to Wataru, but Bishop could live with that. "I need you to become his closest friend and confidant, make him understand what it means to be Fangire. In fact, once he starts feeling the worst effects of his change, I want you to explain things to him so he understands what's going on." Bishop had planned on explaining, but Taiga could do the grunt work just as well while he swept in and offered to help Wataru with his duties as King. The sooner Wataru relied on himself and Taiga to the exclusion of everybody else, the better it would be for him and the Fangire.

And with himself and Taiga there as Wataru's support, getting him to do his duty should be even easier than bringing Mio to do hers. Bishop smiled. This might even be easy....


	21. Chapter 21

Wataru limped into Dr. Takada's office, Nago-san right behind him. The office was empty, for the moment, except for the receptionist. She grew wide-eyed at Wataru's arrival and hurried out of the room, making Wataru wonder why. She returned after a few minutes.

"The doctor will see you now," she said simply, as Dr. Takada opened the door.

"Ah, Wataru," the doctor said. Nago-san got up to follow, but Dr. Takada said, "I'd like to see him alone. I can guarantee you that no harm will come to him."

Nago-san looked irritated, but sat back down. Dr. Takada took Wataru along a corridor into an examination room.

"So, what's wrong, and what happened?" Dr. Takada asked, as Wataru put his leg up.

Wataru rolled up his pants leg to show the burn from the other Fangire's weapon. "I, um, had another doctor try to take over my care. When Nago-san - he's the man in the waiting room - commanded me to run, I tried to. That's when she shot at me and said I needed bed rest."

"You seem to have doctors coming out of the woodwork," Dr. Takada said as he examined Wataru's wound. "Did she tell you who she was?"

Wataru nodded. "She said her name was Dr. Takamoto," he said. "This guy who looked kind of like a Christian priest summoned her after I got a little dizzy. I didn't get his name."

"Christian priest?" Dr. Takada asked, raising his eyebrows. "You may have run into Bishop. He's one of the Checkmate Four, like... well, that's for later. As for Dr. Takamoto, I do know her. I don't like her, but she's a perfectly good doctor, dedicated to her patients. Sometimes a bit too dedicated to her patients, as you discovered."

"But I'm not her patient," Wataru objected.

"Apparently, as far as she's concerned, you are," Dr. Takada said. "I can't say I blame her. If Bishop was recognizing what was wrong with you, and I was the one he'd called, I'd be doing the same thing. You don't annoy Checkmate Four members." He felt Wataru's ankle, and Wataru winced.

"I think I twisted my ankle trying to duck the blast," Wataru said as Dr. Takada looked at it.

"You definitely did," Dr. Takada said. "Well, at least this will keep you staying down, like you need to be. Even if you feel okay now, rest will make things a little easier when your body goes further into the change."

Wataru nodded. There wasn't much to do at Nago-san's anyway. "Dr. Takamoto said I was sick with an illness," he said. "She wasn't going to tell me it was puberty like you did."

"Had you not guessed I was Fangire," Dr. Takada said, "Neither would I; it's tradition to not mention it until the child is in mid-change. Before that, we cover it up." He paused again. "Wataru, how much do you know about your ancestry?"

"Um," Wataru said, "My mother was Queen of the Checkmate Four in her time, and a lot of my ancestors were royal. I have royal blood, but I'm not likely to be part of the Checkmate Four because I'm half human." Part of that was a lie, but he wasn't sure how much Dr. Takada knew.

"Partially correct," Dr. Takada said. "You're right about your mother and your bloodline; you've got a very proud, long heritage. As for the not being part of the Checkmate Four, you might not be *likely* but I'd say, given what I know about the situation, that you might have a much better shot than you think. You wear the King's armor in its pure form, and the other candidate that I know of definitely is not showing the powers that you do. It's very likely that once you finish your change, you'll take on the full powers of the King of the Checkmate Four."

"But I don't want to be King," Wataru said, looking at Dr. Takada. "I want to make violins."

"Royalty," Dr. Takada said, "Often doesn't get a choice in the matter. Which brings me to something that I should bring up with you."

Wataru nodded. A Fangire knowing about the chances of him becoming King was very bad, even if it was his own doctor.

"If it gets out that you are the likely King and you're changing, there are Fangire who will try to kill you before you can assume the mantle," Dr. Takada said. "It's good that you have a bodyguard, though I wish you'd chosen a Fangire instead of a human. Also, you've come to Bishop's attention; this is good and bad."

"Why?" Wataru asked.

"Well, on the good side, he will try to protect you if he suspects what you are," Dr. Takada said. "At least if he believes he can control you. You're an unknown factor because of your human blood, but he'll try to shape you into the King, traditions and all. It's best to make him believe that you can be controlled and let him put his resources into protecting you. He has charge of your older half-brother, Taiga, and I know that he wanted Taiga to be King, but he had respect enough for your mother to give you a chance."

"I knew a Taiga," Wataru said, smiling at the memory.

"Your older half brother is Nobori Taiga," Dr. Takada said, naming Wataru's childhood friend. "And he's Bishop's pawn. I don't know if he'd like you or hate you."

"I would hope that he'd like me," Wataru said. When they'd been younger, he and Taiga had been friends. He wondered if Taiga knew of their relationship even then, or if it was even the same man.

Dr. Takada nodded. "In light of the situation, and given what you've told me, I'm modifying your medical orders. If you are being attacked and your bodyguard is not in hand, you can assume the armor. I want you to change, not die. If you do, call me so I can make sure you're all right after you best the one after you. And if you feel sick and you can't reach me, call Dr. Takamoto. Do not let her take you anywhere, but trust her to treat you short-term, because she will. She is a doctor, after all, and she does know how to treat the symptoms of your change."

Wataru wasn't sure he wanted the woman anywhere near him, but he said nothing.

"In the meantime," Dr. Takada said, "Keep off that foot, plenty of bed rest for your condition, if anything changes give me a call."

Wataru limped out, followed by Dr. Takada. "I'd actually like to talk to this young man for a moment," Dr. Takada said, indicating Nago-san. "Wataru, yell if something happens." Wataru nodded.

A few minutes later, Nago-san rejoined him in the waiting room. The two of them walked out, Wataru still limping.

As they walked the path to Nago-san's car, a young man on the same pathway stopped. "Excuse me," he said, "I don't mean to be rude, but you look like somebody I knew when I was younger."

Wataru stopped, Nago-san beside him. "You are...?" Wataru asked hesitantly, glancing at Nago-san.

"Nobori Taiga," the other man answered. "You look like a friend I had when I was a kid...."

"Taiga!" Wataru said happily. "Yes, I'm Wataru."

"Wataru, it's good to see you again," Taiga said. He glanced over at Nago-san. "I knew you still lived pretty much where you used to. A friend of yours, Nomura-san, told me. She also said you had a little problem." He glared at Nago-san. "A very little problem, I see."

"Well, I twisted my ankle, and Nago-san here kindly took me to my doctor," Wataru said. He wondered if his suddenly-appearing old friend really was the same person as his older half-brother.

Nago-san was glaring back at Taiga. Wataru wondered what each man had against each other before adding, "Nago-san is my friend." He winced as Nago-san glared at him. "Boyfriend," he corrected.

"Nomura-san said that you were dating a Suzuki-san, actually," Taiga said. "A girl. So, where'd this ass of a 'boyfriend' come from?" Wataru could practically hear the quotes as Taiga talked.

"It's all right," Wataru said, holding up his hands. "He's...."

"An abusive, controlling jerk," Taiga finished. "According to Nomura-san."

"A... friend," Wataru corrected gently.

"Wataru," Taiga said, "I'll be coming by sometime, feel free to talk, okay? I protected you from bullies before, I can do it again."

"It's all right," Wataru said, before Nago-san grabbed his arm and started hauling him away.


	22. Chapter 22

Taiga had not seen Wataru since the two were young kids; however, between Nomura Shizuka's cellphone camera and a picture or two Bishop had, he now knew what the heir to King's position looked like.

He hadn't expected to run across Wataru or his "boyfriend" on his way into Dr. Takada's office, but it made sense; Dr. Takada was the doctor that handled the Checkmate Four's health, as well as the possible heirs to their positions. To say that he took an immediate dislike to the other man was an understatement. Besides, as King of the Checkmate Four, Wataru was supposed to spend time with Suzuki Mio, not some random human guy. Even if Wataru wasn't straight, tradition dictated he do that royal duty. Taiga knew from Bishop that Mio-san and Wataru had been dating anyway, so his half-brother was attracted to the correct person, at least.

It appeared, however, that Nomura Shizuka had been correct. Wataru did have a boyfriend, and an abusive one at that. Once he made it clear that he was acting under Bishop's orders to protect Wataru, he should be able to get Dr. Takada to say what he'd seen on Wataru, what kind of condition Wataru was in, and how far along his half-brother was in the change.

But first, since nobody could seem to give him a personal name on Nago-san, he discreetly followed the bounty hunter and his half-brother back to Nago-san's car. He took a picture of the license plate, figuring somebody could run it for him and give him a name and an address. He then turned back around to see Dr. Takada.

Dr. Takada's receptionist looked at him and smiled. "I'll go get Dr. Takada," she said. It was only a minute or so's wait before the doctor himself popped his head out the door.

"Taiga!" the man said, evidently pleased to see him. "Here, let's go to my office."

The doctor lead him to a small office. "Bishop said that you wanted to ask me about Wataru and his health and prognosis."

"That, and how he seemed. I just saw him coming down the path; did he look like he'd been abused by the man that was with him?" Taiga leaned forward. He liked Dr. Takada, Dr. Takada was a good man, but at the moment, his concern was Wataru.

"Abused?" Dr. Takada looked thoughtful. "Well, I only got to see his leg and ankle, but I didn't see any bruises or anything. He had a burn on his leg and he twisted it, but apparently that's Dr. Takamoto's fault."

Taiga nodded; he'd seen the doctor flee and seen Wataru limping, so it was credible.

"At least it'll keep Wataru down and resting. Your half-brother has the world's worst time following medical advice, you know. Incidentally, I'd appreciate a word in her ear; Wataru is my patient, you know."

"I'll see what I can do." He and Bishop trusted Takada to take care of Wataru. "How soon will he be weak?"

"Too weak to do much?" Dr. Takada asked. "It depends if he has to fight anything. He knows about Fangire and apparently those Blue association people told him he's part Fangire. I had to tell him that he was going to get sick - he's definitely changing." He looked at Taiga. "He really needs a Fangire around, not all these humans. I don't like how much they're influencing - er. He needs Fangire around him."

"Bishop and I know what Wataru's going to become," Taiga assured him, and the old doctor smiled in apparent gratitude. "That's why I was alarmed when somebody who knows Wataru well said he'd picked up an abusive boyfriend, and I agree with you about the human influence. Wataru can be stubborn about some things; I don't want him to get too attached to these humans. He needs to start being King now, but we have to wait for his body to catch up with him." He paused. "Do you think they're dating?"

"This Nago says yes, Wataru says yes too, but I know he's lying," Dr. Takada said. "And Wataru definitely likes girls." Dr. Takada grinned at that, and then the grin faded. "This Nago asked me, when I paid a house call, if sex was considered light exertion."

Taiga balled his hands into fists. "I'm going to kill him," he said. He looked over at Dr. Takada. "Any reason I shouldn't?"

"A second bodyguard, as well as someone to watch over Wataru, might be good. Wataru does have a history of disobeying medical orders, too big a sense of responsibility, and the ability to wear the King's Armor. But there's a female Blue whatever association member that doesn't seem to have designs on him, so if you have to eliminate this Nago, make sure you have her in place. You'll need some help, and you'll need help that you can at least somewhat trust."

"Bishop wants to come in and educate him on being King anyway," Taiga said, leaning back in the chair. "I was going to tell him he's Fangire in due time, but this'll make it easier. I don't like how that man was controlling Wataru."

"Neither do I, especially with Wataru being vulnerable and suggestible right now," Dr. Takada agreed. "Take care of him."

Taiga grinned and rose. "Thank you for your time, Dr. Takada. Tell me if anything changes."

"I will," Dr. Takada said. "And Taiga? Have Bishop come to him sooner rather than later. I'm really worried about the influence these humans are having on him."

Taiga nodded. "I will."

He made his way out the door, phoning Bishop and relaying the gist of Dr. Takada's words. "Wataru's going to get more pliable when he starts changing, but Dr. Takada has a point... I can't be there all the time."

Bishop sounded thoughtful. "In some ways, I'd rather deal with this one's bullish approach than some of the more subtle members of the Wondrous Blue Sky association, but it's up to you," Bishop said. "Kill him if you must... but make sure Wataru is your ally when you do. I'm afraid his father corrupted your mother, and I'm sure some of that corruption must be weaned out of Wataru. Incidentally, I've uncovered the name of that particular member, and in fact all members of that organization that Wataru is known to have contact with. I'll tell you about it later."

"Got it," Taiga said.

"Hold on," Bishop said, and the line was silent for several minutes. "Well, I just got a surprise. I've been watching the house; it appears that your half-brother has returned home. I must attend to the Queen's education; you might want to check on Wataru's health."

"Understood." Taiga took his own car to Wataru's house, parking it nearby. Thankfully, Wataru had never moved from their mother's house. The gate was unlocked, and so he snuck around to the back to lockpick the back door. Wataru's upstairs door tended to need oiling, and he wanted to surprise Wataru.

He snuck through the back of the house, to where Wataru's living room/bedroom was, grinning at the image of his half-brother's reaction. When he stepped through the kitchen door, he stopped suddenly, the grin fading. Nago was lying on top of his brother, and they were caught up in a kiss.

Striding forward, he plucked the nuisance human off of Wataru and threw him across the room.


	23. Chapter 23

After the encounter with the man who was most likely his friend, Wataru had been bustled off by Nago-san. "He could be a Fangire," Nago-san had snapped. "Which means he's dangerous."

Wataru had only nodded, because he was starting to wonder if he could trust even his own doctor, at least while he was in the middle of changing from part to full Fangire. "Can Shima-san figure out a way to keep me from changing?" he asked.

"I'm sure he's thought of the possibility," Nago-san said. "If there's a way, he'll find it." He smiled at Wataru, before pulling out of the parking lot. "In the meantime, I think it's safe to return you to your house."

Wataru nodded. He wasn't going to complain about the possibility of working on his violins, or playing the Bloody Rose, or just being home.

"At least for the moment," Nago said. "If we need to, we'll move you back into my place."

Wataru nodded again as Nago-san drove into a parking spot and stopped. Nago-san got out of the car and locked his door, and then helped Wataru out. Wataru leaned against Nago-san's car as Nago-san locked his door, and then Nago-san helped him through his gate and through the front door. As they ascended the stairs, Wataru's body ached and things got dim. He stumbled on a stair step.

Nago-san caught him. "How are you feeling?" Nago-san asked.

"Lightheaded. Aching," Wataru said. "Like I want to rest." Maybe sleep. Maybe his body was telling him something.

"Let's get up these stairs," Nago-san said, "And then to your bed. Can you make it?"

"I'll try," Wataru said. "We might have to go slowly, though."

And go slowly they did. Wataru struggled upstairs, through the short distance to the second set of stairs, and then tried not to tumble down them. Nago-san provided a steadying hand, and Wataru finally, thankfully, tumbled on top of his bed. Darkness threatened to engulf his vision and he wondered if he was going to pass out.

But after a minute or two, his vision returned. He stared at the ceiling of his bed alcove, wondering if he was going to feel like this the next three months. Which reminded him of something very important. "Nago-san?"

He looked towards his table, where Nago-san seemed to be thinking. "Nago-san, I think we're going to have to start acting like real boyfriends, to make... people... think I'm not the King and you're not my bodyguard."

Nago-san nodded sharply. "I was thinking of the same thing," Nago-san admitted. "And we're going to have to start working on it in *here*, so it works when we're out *there*."

"How do we start?" Wataru asked. Now Nago-san had a really good reason to help him stay human, not that Nago-san hadn't had a really good reason before.

Nago-san stood up. "By being intimate, which will also keep you down."

"Intimate?" Wataru asked. But Nago was sitting down on his bed, and Wataru instinctively moved to make room for him.

"How do you feel, Wataru?" Nago-san asked, lying down beside him.

"Better," Wataru said. Things were better when he was lying down, actually.

"Good," Nago-san said. He shifted suddenly, looming over Wataru. His hands were suddenly in Wataru's hair, and then he was leaning down, his body heavy on Wataru's, and then their lips met.

Repeatedly.

Wataru wouldn't have minded, really, if Nago-san had wanted to take things further. In fact, Nago-san's hands were now running down Wataru's body, undoing his scarf, coasting towards his pants.

Just as long as Wataru didn't have to move.

Then, Nago-san was flying across the room, and Taiga was standing there, looking grim. Wataru had no idea where he'd come from or how he'd snuck downstairs without making any noise. He attempted to lever himself up, but failed.

"If you plan to live longer than the last few minutes," Taiga said coldly, "You'll leave this place and leave Wataru alone."

Wataru remembered what Dr. Takada had said. Apparently Taiga had been sent to protect him, just as he had when they'd been little. But Wataru didn't need protection by a Fangire. However, he wasn't going to tell Taiga that, not when he was too weak to defend himself or help Nago-san.

"It's okay, Taiga," Wataru said, struggling to sit up as Nago-san got up and strode towards Taiga. "Nago-san wasn't hurting me. He's my boyfriend... and my bodyguard."

"Not anymore he isn't," Taiga growled. Wataru could see Taiga's face had gone rainbow-patterned. "As of today, I am taking over security duties for you."

Nago-san had the IXA Knuckle out. Taiga stepped forward, seemingly ready to take on Nago-san. Wataru neither wanted his best childhood friend and Nago-san to kill one another, nor did he want his house shot up, so he grasped the edge of his bed, pulled himself up, and immediately grabbed onto a chair. "Taiga-san, Nago-san, can't you share bodyguarding duties?"

The two other men stared at him. "Wataru, back to bed, now," Nago-san ordered.

"Wataru, sit down!" Taiga hissed.

"No," Wataru said. "You can both be my bodyguards, and I'm not moving until you agree to it." He really wanted to sit down; his arms and legs felt like they were made of jelly, and his ankle hurt. But he was not having a fight in his living room.

"Rule #1," Nago-san warned.

"Youlre making-" Taiga started to say, but Wataru interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, Nago-san," Wataru said. "But this time... I need the two of you to cooperate." He held onto the chair tighter as a wave of diziness engulfed him.

Taiga and Nago-san glared at him. "I'll get his arms, you get his feet," Taiga said. "We'll figure this out after that."

Nago-san gave Taiga a curt nod before coming around the table. Taiga grabbed Wataru under the arms with one hand while prying Wataru's fingers off the chair. Nago-san picked up his legs. Between them, he was carried over to his bed and plopped back on it. His two prospective bodyguards sat down on the bed, blocking any escape. Wataru wondered for a second on what Nago-san's punishment would be before lying back down on his bed.

"What were you doing, molesting Wataru?" Taiga demanded.

"Taiga, that was my choice," Wataru said, before Nago-san could answer. "I don't want Fangire killing me before I can change." Or have the change stopped, but he didn't think Taiga would think well of that. "Nago-san and I are pretending to be boyfriends so that Fangire look at me and think that there's no way I could be King, since I'm having sex with a human man."

"Are you?" Taiga asked impatiently.

Wataru shook his head. "No." Not yet, at least. He wondered what it would be like, and he did plan to do it with Nago-san sometime. Just not when Taiga was around. He wanted to finish what he and Nago-san had started. "But in order to pretend better, I asked Nago-san to kiss me."

Taiga didn't look too happy with the answer. "I'll work togther with *him* if he'll work together with me," he said finally.

"Nago-san?" Wataru asked. "Please work with Taiga to keep me safe."

"If I have to," Nago-san said reluctantly.

Wataru smiled. "I need a nap," he announced, closing his eyes. "Please work out the details."

Consciousness soon faded after that.


	24. Chapter 24

Megumi was only somewhat surprised to see Nago-kun answering Wataru's doorbell, though she wished that he'd let Wataru do things himself instead of trying to run his life and screen his visitors. "A Fangire showed up, saying he's Wataru's 'bodyguard'," Nago-kun said as he let her into the house.

She nodded. Wataru was starting to attract people, people wanting to probably influence the possible King of the Checkmate Four. "How's he feeling?"

"He got sick, and he's in bed," Nago-kun said, "But not telling me that I had to work with this Fangire. I don't feel the need to comply with that instruction."

They reached the top of the stairs. Wataru's door leaned against one counter, obivously busted. "Did the Fangire bust in?"

"That was a different Fangire," Nago-kun growled.

She followed him down the stairs, where a man he didn't recognize stood up and smiled at her. He was definitely good-looking. And a Fangire, apparently. "And this is...."

"Nobori Taiga," the man said, introducing himself with a bow. "I'm Wataru's new bodyguard."

"Oh," Megumi said. "I wasn't aware that Wataru-kun *needed* a bodyguard. I'm Aso Megumi."

"Pleased to meet you, and he does," Nobori-san said. "And I'm Fangire; his safety falls to me. And I won't molest him, like *he's* doing." Nobori-san glared at Nago-kun.

"He's not really Wataru's boyfriend," Megumi said, trying to clarify things. She didn't want to ruin Wataru's chances with Mio-chan, no matter what Nago thought. "He just thinks he is."

"Oh, really?" Nobori-san said, his eyebrows raised. "He just tried to have sex with the person he's protecting. That's a failing in a bodyguard, and I wouldn't trust him to protect me. Please collect him, because I really don't like him."

"You're trying to have sex with Wataru-kun?" Megumi asked, not expecting Nago-kun to answer.

"I have to," Nago-kun said, as if that was normal and not weird. Or any weirder than bodyguarding the part-Fangire heir to the Fangire throne.

"No, you don't," she said, but Nago ignored her, focusing on Nobori-san.

"It's a good thing that I'm protecting Wataru from Fangire, then," Nago-kun countered. "As for our personal lives, it doesn't matter."

"Are you intending to protect him from himself?" Nobori-san said. "What he's becomming?"

"If I can help it," Nago-kun said, moving forward as if to get in the man's space. "You're not welcome here, leave."

Megumi wondered if the two of them were going to have a fight in Wataru-kun's living room. One that involved the IXA Knuckle and a Fangire and possibly the Blue Sky Association paying for repairs.

"Nobori-san," she said, hoping to defuse the situation, "Who sent you to watch over Wataru?"

"Someone who wants him protected," Nobori-san said. "But I wanted to protect him anyway; he's my younger half-brother, after all." He smiled at her again, as if to defuse the insult. "Siblings should protect and care for each other; Wataru needs protecting right now, from people who would try to kill the future King, to people who would take advantage of him." He glared at Nago-kun once more. "Speaking of presumptive bodyguards."

"Please, don't kill one another," Wataru said from the bed. In the whole excitement, she'd forgotten about him. He got out of bed, grabbing a chair as if to use it for balance, looking harmless and pathetic. He looked from Nago-kun to Nobori-san steadily, and had he not been leaning on the chair for dear life, it might have had more effect.

Nobori-san strode over to Wataru. "Wataru, you need to get back in bed and rest," he said. "You'll feel better."

"Not until you and Nago-san talk. Megumi-san, too." Wataru leaned on the table as he attempted to pull the chair out from under the table. "We'll all sit and talk."

Nobori-san rolled his eyes. "Here, why don't I hold you up and somebody else can pull the chair out?" he asked reasonably. "Aso-san?" He took hold of Wataru, causing Wataru to lean against him.

She wondered if the Fangire just hated Nago-kun that much, or he trusted her more. "Right." She pulled a chair out.

Wataru-kun was plopped down in the chair by Nobori-san, who sat down next to him in a defiant gesture. She took a chair across from Wataru-kun; Nago-kun took the chair opposite Nobori-san.

"I trust both Nago-san and Taiga," he said. "I want the people important to me to work together to make sure I'm safe," Wataru said. "If I can't trust my bodyguards, who can I trust?" He looked at both Nago-kun and Nobori-san with a tired smile, and Megumi was struck by how pale he was. "I feel more comfortable having one bodyguard from each side of my heritage."

"Nago's tried to molest you," Nobori-san pointed out. "I'd be saving you a lot of time and effort if I just eliminated him."

"And he doesn't need a Fangire to watch over him," Nago-kun said. "I'm enough."

"I don't want to have to do this, but... I won't have my bodyguards killing each other," Wataru said, leaning on the table. "I'd rather find new bodyguards than have that happen."

"You might not have much of a choice," Nobori-san said. "You're going to be too weak to do much except eat and sleep for a while. And I don't trust *him* to not take advantage of you."

"I feel the same," Nago-kun said, folding his arms.

Wataru looked at each of them. "Please? Because if I have to, I'll leave and you'll both have to hunt me down."

"How hard could that be?" Nago-kun scoffed.

"He's got a point, Wataru-kun," Megumi said. "He is a bounty hunter."

"And besides, chances are if you tried to run, you'd end up collapsing in Dr. Takamoto's arms," Nobori-san said.

Wataru paled. "Can you make a temporary truce at first, and kill each other after I change?"

"I can live with that," Nobori-san said, folding his arms.

"And I'll prove that humans are better than Fangire," Nago-kun growled.

"Do you really dislike doctors that much, Wataru-kun?" Megumi asked, wanting the whole conversation to be something other than a war between bodyguards.

"Well, um... I just was never good at doing what Dr. Takada told me to do," Wataru admitted, blushing a little.

Megumi looked at the two bodyguards. "I think we're going to have to cooperate just so that Wataru-kun stays out of trouble. Between the three of us, we should be able to keep an eye on him. And we should have backups - even if they're not warriors or bodyguards."

"What are you thinking?" Nobori-san said, leaning forward.

"Well, Shizuka-chan," Megumi said. "Kengo-san. Mio-chan. Kengo-san can fight, and the other two can reach for their cellphones."

Nobori-san nodded. Nago-kun glared. "Them?"

"I don't see a problem," Nobori-san said. "I don't know most of those people, but I'm sure we all have lives. If they can keep Wataru out of trouble, all the better."

"Then, let's work out a schedule that will keep Wataru-kun out of trouble with his doctor," Megumi said.

The three of them worked together, occasionally asking Wataru for input on Shizuka-chan's and Mio-chan's schedules. As Wataru faded, Megumi looked at him. "Do you-"

"I can get to bed myself," he said, with a tired smiled. "But I want to get this ironed out first, Megumi-san. I have to."

Looking at his two 'bodyguards', Megumi had to agree.


	25. Chapter 25

Mio disliked being Queen. It made no sense to her to hunt Fangire whose only crime was to love, especially if she loved.

Loved a human, in fact. Her parents would shake their heads and tell her that it was her funeral, and that she was going down a bad path. But her parents had moved down south, to better feeding grounds, giving her a chance to live out her life on her own. Without their guidance, she felt lost and confused.

But that hadn't stopped her from falling in love, and the fact that she'd have to marry and have children with some King just seemed so unreal to her, no matter how much her parents would have approved. Her mother had been some distant kin to the royal line, but Mio was just happy living as an ordinary Fangire, occasionally killing humans for food and pretending that she was human to blend in with human society.

She spotted Bishop coming up to her, followed by a young man in white. Inwardly, she cringed. Was this King? Or did Bishop have something else in mind, this time?

Outwardly, Mio forced herself to stand still. She couldn't let Bishop know she was afraid.

"Ah, Queen." Bishop was smiling. This was not good. The young man beside him was smiling as well, but Mio found him far less scary. "This young man has come to ask for your help."

"Oh?" Mio asked, her curiosity piqued despite usually not liking what Bishop usually had to say to her.

"Hi, I'm Nobori Taiga," the man said. "Pleased to meet you, Queen." He gave a bow appropriate to her new station.

"Taiga," Bishop said, "Might have been King, had things been different. But alas...." he stopped and smiled. "We might have a new King."

"Oh." She didn't want to know about the new King, given she was supposed to marry him, and she didn't want some stranger. She wanted Wataru-san, but she doubted that was going to happen.

"Which is why I've come to ask you humbly for your help," Nobori-san said, stepping forward, almost blocking out her view of Bishop. She didn't mind. "You know that the Queen's duty is to kill Fangire who love humans, right? Well, there's a reason to that. Most of them tend to be more human than Fangire. But some of them, a select few... they become Fangire. Strong Fangire. My half-brother, the likely current King, is one of those."

"Oh," Mio said. She hadn't considered that, the Queen had always just been a boogeyman to keep people from falling in love with humans. In a way, it made sense.

"But the change to full-blown Fangire is painful, and the person sleeps a lot, so...." he paused. "We need people to protect him while he goes through this change, because not everybody's going to be too thrilled to have someone with human ancestry as King."

Mio nodded. "So, you want me to protect him?" It didn't sound like a bad thing. It might even get her out of her despised traitor-hunting duties for a while.

"Well, partly," Nobori-san admitted. "He acquired one human bodyguard that seems to think he's my half-brother's *boyfriend*. There are some others lined up, but... he needs Fangire around him, not humans."

"Even I'll be doing some protecting," Bishop said from behind Nobori-san. "Along with teaching our King properly."

"You'll be getting a call from somebody who doesn't know what you are," Nobori-san said, "I just wanted to talk to you first because you are, after all, our Queen."

Mio smiled. "Who is this potential King? Who's going to call me?" Knowing a name would be nice. Finding a way to explain things to Wataru would be also nice.

"You know him - Kurenai Wataru." Bishop spoke with the certainty of someone who'd spent too much time snooping around her personal life.

She abruptly dropped her bag. "Wataru? Wataru's the King? Wataru's a Fangire?"

"He will be," Nobori-san said, oblivious to her swirling thoughts. "But... he needs protection. And his Queen. And his girlfriend. All at once would be good."

Mio nodded. "Boyfriend?" Well, she didn't blame Wataru if he had, given how much a failure she'd been at dating.

"We're still working on a good excuse to kill him," Nobori-san said apologetically. "Without Wataru straining himself. He'll get used to the idea that he's going to marry you in time."

Trying to pick up the bag without looking too obvious, she asked, "Who's going to call me?"

"Oh," Nobori-san said casually, "Aso Megumi-san. I expect she'll be calling you shortly, as soon as she gets your number." He looked thoughtful. "I'm due to start my guard shift; would you like to come with me, my Queen?"

"Yes," Mio said. It should get her away from Bishop and her other duties, after all. And she could see Wataru.

Nobori-san took her to his motorbike, producing a helmet for her. "Here," he said, helping her strap it on. "You'll have to hold on to me, Queen."

Mio did, and soon Nobori-san was driving her to Wataru-san's house. "Normally," he said, "I prefer to enter by the back door. But today we'll go by the front door."

He produced a key; Mio was surprised to see that he seemed to need one. They went up to the second floor, and then down. Megumi-san was sitting there, plugging away at her cell phone. She looked up.

"Oh, Mio-chan! Were you coming to see Wataru-kun?" the woman asked, smiling at her.

"Yes," she said softly. "I... I..."

"I saw her outside, and she gave me her name. I remember you mentioning her, so I brought her in. Do you want me to tell her what we need?"

"Yes, thank you." Megumi-san picked up her bag. "Nice to see you again, Mio-chan. It's too bad Wataru is asleep right now."

Megumi-san left, and the two of them sat down facing Wataru. Mio gazed at her sleeping sometime-boyfriend. "Is he going to be like this a lot?"

"That's what the doctor says," Nobori-san said. "He'll be in pain sometimes, but mostly he'll be tired. Doctor's given him an okay to do non-strenuous things, so use your best judgement. Oh, I'll give you the numbers to both his doctor and a doctor in the area, both Fangire, both know how to treat him. Just tell them who you are, and they'll be happy to help." 

Mio nodded. "Thank you for bringing me here," she said. "I... want him to be safe."

Nobori-san nodded seriously. "I want him to be safe, too."


	26. Chapter 26

After two weeks, Wataru was sick of being in bed. Actually, Wataru was sick of everything - his change, the presumption that he was going to be King, Nago-san and Taiga threatening each other. He wanted to experience some things for himself. Like what Nago-san kept trying to show him, only to be interrupted every time. He wanted to choose what he was, and every day it seemed like he was being figuratively tied down by a role that said "King".

In the end, he just wanted to be Wataru, son of Maya and Otoya, for his parents to have been normal people. To not be stuck halfway between human and Fangire, to be one or the other. Not to be encumbered by human manipulations or Fangire traditions, a human boyfriend or a Fangire girlfriend.

And if he was going to be that, if he was going to have any hope of staying Wataru, he had to get out of there, leave everything behind, except for some money and clothes, and things he could sell. Maybe a photograph or two as well His cellphone would have to tay in the house, too much signal to track him down.

Fortunately for him, his bodyguard had their own routine. Taiga, for example, always seemed to leave the house for a few minutes at a certain time each day. Wataru slowly packed when his caretakers weren't paying attention, and when Taiga took his break, he slowly shrugged on the backpack and painfully balanced using the cane that Dr. Takada had given him for getting around the house.

"Wataru, what are you doing?" Kiva asked as Wataru made his way slowly to the back door. Wataru tensed, hoping Taiga would take a longer-than-usual break. It was taking longer than he thought, and he had really not much time.

"I don't want to be King," Wataru said, "So I'm leaving. Taiga can be King."

"Wataru," Kivat said, flapping in front of him, "I don't think it's that easy."

"I have to try," Wataru said, ducking his companion. "Thank you for everything, and please, work with Taiga."

"You can't be serious," Kivat said. "You-"

"Are leaving," Wataru said, hoping that Taiga wasn't coming back. The backpack would be impossible to explain. "Please, Kivat. Work with Taiga. Don't stop me."

He didn't doubt that Kivat's first and last act of cooperation with Taiga would be to track him down, but his mother had taught him to be polite.

Going as fast as he could manage, he got through the gate in time to hear a motorcycle coming up. He ducked behind some nearby bushes, seeing Taiga pull up to his gate and park. He hadn't counted on Taiga having his motorcycle. It would make things easier for Taiga.

But his bodyguard was sauntering easily through the gate, totally ignoring everything but his cellphone. Wataru made it to the nearby park as fast as his overly-heavy body would allow him to, and by the time he was walking through it, he was ready to take a nap.

"Wataru-kun?"

It was Dr. Takamoto. Wataru stopped and looked at her, praying that she wasn't part of a search party. "Wataru-kun, you don't look very well. I told you about that rare disease-"

"Why are you calling puberty a disease?" Wataru asked simply. He hoped he didn't sound as tired as he felt. To his surprise, Dr. Takamoto shrunk a little.

"I'm sorry, my lord, I didn't realize... um, what are you doing walking around in the middle of it? You shouldn't even be up. And you've got a backpack. Is something wrong?"

She looked genuinely worried, and Wataru remembered what Dr. Takada had said about her. She might have been manipulative, but she was also a good doctor, concerned about her patients.

"I wanted to take a walk while I still could," he said, copying Nago-san's best glare. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

Dr. Takamoto actually took a step back. "No, my lord, it's just... I am a doctor, you know. I'll be nearby if you need me."

She practically retreated, not that Wataru cared. He hobbled through the park, wondering where Taiga would look first. Too tired to care, he chose a particularly secluded part of the park and flopped down, hoping to get at least a little rest.

"Chu, chu!"

Wataru groaned as he saw the golden figure shoot out of the trees. "Tatsulot, go home. Work with Taiga, like I told you."

"But you told Kivat-ani that, not me," the little golden dragon said. "You're not all right, chu chu."

"No," Wataru admitted. "But I can't live like I've been living." He smiled up at Tatsulot. "Thank you for all you've done for me." No harm in chatting with Tatsulot while he rested, he decided. He needed the strength to make it to the nearest train station.

Once he got to a train station, he'd buy tickets. Maybe to Kyoto, or someplace down south. He wasn't sure what he'd do for a living, but he'd find something. Dai-chan - Rook - had done it with no skills. And all he had were the useless ones his mother had taught him.

He wondered if they'd send Rook after him. The Fangire was still alive, after all.

Wataru lay, watching the sky, and hoped he'd regain his strength soon.


	27. Chapter 27

Taiga had snacked on a nearby human - hopefully the man wouldn't be missed - and returned back to Wataru's house to check on his half-brother. He doubted anything had changed, since Wataru tended to sleep a lot.

He made his way through the gate and through the front door, using the keys. Nothing seemed amiss until he saw Wataru's bed empty - and even then he assumed that Wataru was using the bathroom, until he realized that the bathroom door was open.

Wataru's Kivat flew in. "Taiga!" he declared. "Wataru's gone!"

"How long?" Taiga asked. He hadn't been gone that long, had he? Wataru had been asleep when he'd left.

Part of him worried - Wataru was his charge and his relative, after all - and part of him didn't. Wataru wasn't stupid. Mostly.

"A few minutes," Kivat said, floating in place. "He said something about not being King anymore."

Taiga rolled his eyes. "He doesn't have a choice in the matter." He thought about chasing after Wataru, but better Wataru remember why he was on bedrest in the first place.

"I know," Kivat said. "Aren't you going to chase after him?"

This made Taiga grin. "Eventually. You're familiar with the human game 'hide and go seek'?"

"Yes," the Kivat said, clearly unsure as to what it had to do with anything.

"Wataru's hiding, I'm seeking," Taiga said. "I'll give him a ten-minute headstart, and then I'll go find him." He hadn't had a chance to do much of anything, and this might be some fun.

And at least it would tire Wataru out.

He waited the ten minutes, then headed out, Wataru's Kivat following. Taiga figured there was no harm in this, because Wataru and the Kivat had to be bonded. The Kivat had to know where Wataru was, in a general way. "Which way is he?" he asked the Kivat.

"Follow me," the Kivat said. "He's not going to be too happy with me leading you right to him."

"Can't be helped," Taiga said. "I have no problem cheating a little." 

The Kivat led him to a park, where a figure - Fangire, Taiga could tell - was walking down a path cautiously, as if afraid a monster was going to jump out of the bushes. Taiga grinned. "Hello there."

"Hello," she said, wide-eyed.

"I believe we may have met before." It was a lie, but Taiga turned his most charming smile on her. "You are?"

"Dr. Takamoto Keiko," she replied. She eyed him for a moment. "And you are?"

Ah. Dr. Takada's rival. Which did explain what she was doing in the park, but not why she seemed so skittish. "Nobori Taiga. You know, Dr. Takada was complaining about you stealing his patients...."

"Ah, you know Doctor Takada?" the woman said, straightening up. "Yes, we know each other, professionally.

"I work for Bishop," Taiga said simply, letting the woman's eyes widen again. "Dr. Takada asked Bishop if he'd ask you to stop poaching his clients. In particular, Kurenai Wataru."

Dr. Takamoto took a step back. "Had I known that Kurenai-san's doctor was Fangire, I wouldn't have," she said defensively. "I just saw him a few minutes ago. He didn't look well, but I didn't want to risk destruction by pointing it out to him."

The woman knew what Wataru was, definitely. And she did have a good eye for what was wrong. "Be glad he's not your patient, Dr. Takamoto. He doesn't obey medical orders very well. According to Dr. Takada, he's supposed to be on bed rest. That's it."

"Had he been my patient," Dr. Takamoto said, straightening, "He wouldn't have had a choice. He would have been restrained at my clinic and at close watch if I'd known." She looked steadily at Taiga. "Maybe you should consider that."

"I will," Taiga said. "In the meantime, which way did he go?"

"That way," Dr. Takamoto said, indicating where she meant. "Nobori-san, I'd like to go with you. Dr. Takada and I have our differences, but a patient is a patient and I hate to see someone in pain."

"Do you, perchance, have a way of sedating Wataru, or were you out for a walk?" Taiga asked. "Or hunting?"

"Hunting," Dr. Takamoto said, "But I don't have to do it right now, there are more important things. And as it happens...." She slid a case out of her purse. "Sometimes I'm merciful to my food. Sometimes I'm not. I have a sedative and a paralyzing agent always at hand when I'm out hunting. Which one would you prefer?"

"Paralyzing," Taiga said. "Not that I think he's going anywhere, but I want him aware of what's happening to him. He's my little brother, Dr. Takamoto. Sometimes their ways have to be... corrected."

"Little brother?" Dr. Takamoto echoed. "Could you have been... King?"

Taiga shrugged. "Perhaps, in some universe or other, yes. And I would have made a good one." No sense in being falsely modest; he would have been prepared to rule far better than Wataru had. "But we make do with what we have, don't we?"

"We do," Dr. Takamoto agreed. "At the rate he was dragging himself, he can't have gotten that far."

"Kivat?" No reason to drag it out, now that he had more help.

"This way," the Kivat said. Taiga, Dr. Takamoto, and the Kivat followed several paths until they were in a secluded section of the park. "I like this section," Dr. Takamoto said, smiling a little. "It's such a good place to feed in."

"I'll keep that in mind," Taiga replied. The Kivat had hung back, but Taiga didn't need him anymore. Not with Wataru sound asleep, head on a backpack, dead to the world. The small golden dragon Tatsulot kept watch, swirling around his head.

"Chu chu!" the little dragon exclaimed as Taiga and Dr. Takamoto approached Wataru, Taiga almost stepping on the cane that Wataru had been using.

"He's pretty asleep," Dr. Takamoto said, taking out her supplies and rubbing Wataru's elbow with alcohol. "But he won't be when he feels the needle."

As expected, Wataru reacted with alarm to the needle entering his flesh. He bolted upright before lying right back down again, and Dr. Takamoto was hard-pressed to inject the drug.

"It'll be a while before the drug works," Dr. Takamoto said, "But I don't think he's going anywhere anyway."

Taiga nodded. "Wataru? You know there's a difference between 'walking' and 'bed rest', right?"

Wataru nodded. "What did you give me?"

"A paralyzing agent," Dr. Takamoto said. "Enough to keep you from moving. I hear you're quite bad at following medical instructions."

"Taiga," Wataru groaned. 

"I authorized it, so no complaining at me," Taiga said firmly. "We're going to carry you back, you're going to stay in bed, and believe me, it'll be lots worse next time."

He didn't like Nago's punishment system, but he was beginning to see that the man had rigged it up for a reason. He'd have to confer with the other bodyguard about good punishments for the recalcitrant King-to-be. If there was anything the man was good at, it was domination and punishments. 

Too bad he hadn't been born a Fangire.

"Let me know when the agent's taken effect," he instructed Dr. Takanoko.

She nodded. "A few more minutes, I think. I have a wheelchair in my car; do you want me to go get it?"

"Yes," he said. "Do you know how to get back?"

"Pfft. One of my favorite hunting spots? Sure." She shimmered into her Fangire form - a largely white one - and zoomed off.

Taiga watched over Wataru until the doctor returned with a wheelchair. "Let's get him to a path, and then put him on it," she said. "We can sling the backpack on the back, and you can carry his cane."

Amused at her businesslike demeanour, Taiga let her carry Wataru. When they were on the path, she unfolded the wheelchair and put Wataru on it, and pushed him until they were out of the park. Taiga led her back to the house, and she assisted him inside. The doctor plopped Wataru down on his bed. "Call me if he gets worse," she said. "And... maybe we can hunt sometime, together."

Taiga smiled. "Sounds good to me," he said.


	28. Chapter 28

Dr. Takada was used to some odd things, and had seen a lot over his centuries of life. So, the abrupt use of his office as a planning room was hardly the oddest thing he'd ever experienced.

The Queen, Suzuki Mio, and the King's bodyguard, Nobori Taiga, were both sitting in the office. Technically, like all Fangire, they had real names, but their human names were shorter and easier to remember. He had on record the real names and human names of every Fangire that made use of his services, including Wataru's.

He doubted Wataru even knew he had a real name, though he himself had memorized it. "So, you want to talk about the leaves fallen into a volcano in winter?" he asked, sitting down and making sure his door was locked. The Queen looked uncertain, so he clarified, "You want to talk about Wataru."

"Is there a way to speed the process up?" Taiga-kun asked. "I swear that Wataru's going to become more troublesome the weaker he gets."

"Well, you could always have that other bodyguard of his sleep with him," Dr. Takada joked weakly. "Or have him go into pure form."

"I *really* hope you were joking on that first part," Taiga said. "I really don't think - unless it will really help."

"Not really," Dr. Takada said. "He wouldn't be the first bisexual King, however. However, I trust that you are going to kill this Nago-san after this is all over?"

"Of course," Taiga said. "Unless you have a good argument against it?" He looked steadily at Dr. Takada.

"No," Dr. Takada said. "No matter what sexual orientation Wataru is - and I believe he's at most bisexual - I believe he'll do his duty as King with Suzuki-san. He just strikes me as someone who would do that. And if he does take a lover... well, I'm sure you can find someone. After Wataru changes, he becomes subject to the Queen's Justice as anybody else."

The two of them knew the King's and Queen's duties as well as anybody else did. Probably better.

Suzuki-san spoke up. "He's not King yet... is he?" she said quietly.

"No, but he has every indication of *being* King," Taiga said. "We won't know until he changes fully."

"But what if he's not... King?" Suzuki-san asked, looking down. "He-"

"Still can't have a human boyfriend," Taiga said. "You'd have to kill him."

"I'm not thinking of that," Suzuki-san persisted. "It's just... I don't think he wants to be King. Could he stop himself from being that?"

"No more than you could not be Queen," Taiga told her. "It is an incredible responsibility... but he was King from birth. He has to be King."

"He doesn't have a choice in the matter, Queen," Dr. Takada said. "If he's King - and we have every reason to believe he is - he can't run away from those responsibilities. The last time that happened was a disaster."

"Hopefully he's better at his duties than he is at taking medical advice," Taiga said, scowling. "I had to haul him out of the park. He exhausted himself getting halfway across. Fortunately, Dr. Takamoto was out hunting and was able to give me a hand."

Dr. Takada nodded. "I'm afraid there's nothing I could do about that," he said. "Actually. Hm." He smiled; an idea was forming in his head. "While I dislike certain of Dr. Takamoto's methods, she has used her clinics to 'disappear' people and keep people from going anywhere. Tell Wataru that unless he stays in bed, I will authorize transfer to one of her clinics for temporary treatment. And tell him that she uses restraints. If he thinks being in bed in his own house is bad, I think he'll find that staying there is torture."

"I was intending to talk to Nago-san about punishments anyway," Taiga said thoughtfully. "As much as I dislike him, he is inventive. Just the wrong species. We'll see how to handle this. My Queen? Anything else to say?"

Suzuki-san was still looking down. "It's nothing," she said. "I just feel sorry for Wataru-san."

"It isn't pleasant, Queen," Taiga said, "But with your help, I'm sure he'll get through it just fine." He smiled at her. "Thank you, Dr. Takada."

"Not a problem," Dr. Takada said. "And if you need any help killing Nago-san in ingenious ways after the change, please let me know. I'll be happy to help."

"Given he'd expect the usual," Taiga said, "I appreciate that. Thank you again, Dr. Takada." He bowed at Dr. Takada, collected Suzuki-san and left.

Dr. Takada nodded, and then reached for the phone. He dialled a number that he shouldn't know so well. "Ah, Dr. Takamoto."

"Hello, Dr. Takada," she said. "Is this a professional or a personal call?" He didn't blame her for her caution; he didn't call her too often.

"Purely professional," he assured her. "It's about Kurenai Wataru-kun."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I hadn't realized that he was your patient," she said. "I will endeavor to ask next time."

"Actually," Dr. Takada said, "I was rather hoping that your facility just outside of Tokyo isn't filled?"

"You - you'd entrust his care to me." She could be excused for being surpised.

"If needed," he said, hopefully giving her the impression that it wasn't a given. "What would be your diagnosis of his condition?"

"Mid-puberty," Dr. Takamoto said, "Complicated by not following doctor's orders. I take it you'd like to admit him to my clinic on the basis of continuing harm to himself."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking," Dr. Takada said. "I'm the royal physician, but usually royals don't act so stupid."

"With your permission," she said humbly, "I'd like to take him now."

"That, my dear, could be construed in more than one way," Dr. Takada said. "Let's meet at Kurenai-san's place, shall we?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Dr. Takamoto said.


	29. Chapter 29

Wataru counted the number of people in his house, human and Fangire, and winced. Everybody who knew about the Fangire had somehow ended up in the living room. Including him, though he was restricted to lying down.

Kengo-san was strumming his guitar, while Nago-san sat next to him, arms folded, and Megumi-san sat next to him. On the opposite side, they were outnumbered by the Fangire - Taiga-kun, Bishop, and both Dr. Takamoto and Dr. Takada.

The only people who weren't there that had been involved in his "care" were Shizuka-chan and Mio-san, because they didn't know about Fangire.

Wataru had a sense that Dr. Takada had finally gotten to the point where he was very irritated at him. Otherwise, why pull in Dr. Takamoto? Or Bishop, or Taiga? Okay, well, not Taiga.

Both doctors were paying attention, though that kept Wataru in bed less than the fact that Nago-san had handcuffed him to the bed. "I want to propose," Dr. Takamoto said, "That I make arrangements, should it become necessary, to bring the king under even closer guard. As per the incident yesterday, it's clear that our King can't be trusted not to wander off *in the middle of puberty* and *under the noses of his bodyguards*. We Fangire have a vested interest in not having to wait another twenty years for a new King to exist."

"But what if I'm not...." Wataru said weakly. All four of the Fangire, as well as Nago-san, glared at him.

"Is there any way to set up restraints here?" Nago-san asked Dr. Takamoto, much to Wataru's surprise.

The Fangire doctor looked thoughtful. "I don't see why not. Dr. Takada?"

"You're the expert, Dr. Takamoto," he said. "Punishments are your bailiwick, not mine."

Wataru wondered if there was any way to escape sadistic doctors and equally sadistic bodyguards. "Can I just sleep for the rest of it?" Wataru asked.

Nago-san looked at the doctors, and then Taiga-kun. "Would it be possible... after I find a suitable punishment... to do that?"

"Inducing anything in puberty can be dangerous," Dr. Takamoto said, after exchanging looks with Dr. Takada. "You're better off with the restraints, something a little bit more refined than inducing sleep cycles."

"Besides," Bishop said, "This is when he needs to be awake for a few hours at a time. His mind is like a sponge, or will be; his body is preparing a rebirth into a superior lifeform."

Wataru wished they wouldn't talk about him that way, but it wasn't like there was anything he could do about it.

"No violin playing," Dr. Takada said, nodding at Kengo-san, and the musician looked clearly disappointed. "But if your music that soothes him, that is fine. He just shouldn't play."

Kengo-san looked much happier about that.

Dr. Takada turned to Nago-san. "And I think you'll understand that Wataru is destined for another," he said. "Besides, you wouldn't want to put him through the effort of getting through puberty just to be killed by the Queen, would you?"

"That was not my intention," Nago-san said stiffly.

"I suggest that those with a talent for restraints *use* it to keep the King out of trouble," Bishop said, "While the rest of us learn all of Wataru's... tricks."

* * *

And Dr. Takada hadn't been shy about sharing all of Wataru's tricks, Wataru noted ruefully. But at least he felt a camaraderie begin to grow among his bodyguards. One evening, Dr. Takamoto had brought a lute to go with Kengo-san's guitar. Kengo-san had babbled for several days to Wataru about incorporating the sound of Dr. Takamoto's lute in their next studio session, after Wataru could move. His two main bodyguards and Dr. Takamoto had worked together on the restraints, and it had been Nago-san's idea to strap a tracker to Wataru's ankle, just in case. And Taiga-kun had agreed, much to Wataru's dismay. Taiga-kun and Nago-san were beginning to get along, at least. And both of them kept him centered in his heritage, though he doubted they realized it. Wataru was both human and Fangire, and even as his body changed, he wanted to mentally stay that way.

But with all the cooperation, all the work together, Wataru just wanted to be left alone. He had two additional bodyguards, both Fangire. Everybody worked with everybody else. Mostly.

And so he slept a lot. And he dreamed of a harmony completed between Nago-san and himself, a harmony that only they could complete before he changed, completely.

He woke up, knowing what was missing, and what had to be done.


	30. Chapter 30

Keisuke nodded in satisfaction as Wataru slept. He knew that the King - if Wataru was going to become King - was impressionable. The Fangire had certainly emphasized that enough.

Keeping him from going anywhere was a challenge. Keeping the Fangire from taking him somewhere and isolating him was another. The Fangire were going to have a human-sympathetic king if Keisuke had his way.

"How is he?" Dr. Takamoto asked, as she closed the door behind her. Keisuke tolerated the Fangire doctor because she was competent in her craft and understood the need to restrain patients. But she was still Fangire.

"Sleeping," Keisuke said firmly. "He didn't even try to go anywhere today."

"A shame. I was hoping to use my hunting skills even though I had my fill. But injured prey is not so fun, and he's hardly prey." She smiled at him. "But still, it's good to keep one's skills up, isn't it?"

"Not on your King," Keisuke said, reminding her that Wataru *was* King, and he would be a good King.

"If he's acting AMA, I'm perfectly within my rights, bounty hunter," the doctor said, arching an eyebrow. "And you know you wouldn't have it any other way." She walked past him to check on Wataru. And despite his knowledge that she didn't mean Wataru any harm, he still kept a sharp eye on her.

But the doctor just performed the exam he'd come to expect from her. It looked like she wasn't out to harm Wataru. This time. "You want to become his doctor, permanently," he observed.

"Of course," she said. "I'm better equipped than Dr. Takada. And I know when to restrain my patients." She nodded at Wataru. "Not that most of them are as troublesome as this young royal. Though I wouldn't mind chasing him down again. Just to get a better baseline of what he does when he's refusing treatment."

Treatment was very much not optional with this doctor, Keisuke realized. She *would* make a good doctor for Wataru, he was sure of it. He was also sure she shouldn't be allowed to be. "I trust that you'll keep him complacent while he's changing."

"Oh, I will," she promised. "I'll make sure of it." She appraised him. "By the way, Nago Keisuke, I am now your primary care doctor."

"My primary care doctor has been more than adequate," Keisuke informed her stiffly. "Why would I want to change?" He was not going to have, could not, have a Fangire for a doctor. He couldn't.

"Because you are the King's bodyguard," she said. "I *do* treat humans, you know. And I have a vested interest in your health, since the King prizes you highly. Therefore, you are now my patient."

"I refuse," Keisuke said, folding his arms. "My primary doctor can take care of my needs. Please return my care to him."

"No," Dr. Takamoto said calmly. "You're not getting away that easily. You are now my patient, and you will obey me." She folded her arms firmly, as unwilling to budge as he was.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the previous chapters were re-archived from their original Livejournal entries. This is the first new chapter.

Wataru opened his eyes as the sounds of an argument reached his ears. Not that he really wanted to be awake, just as he did want to be awake. Awake meant that he could do things, if he could sneak past his bodyguards or they allowed him to take baths.

Asleep meant that he didn't have to worry about anything. His dreams were full of colors and lights, figures he couldn't quite see that whispered in his ears. It was all quiet. Calming.

But he'd rather be awake. He'd rather know what was going on.

"Nago-san?" his bodyguard was in the room, as well as one of his doctors. Takamoto, to be precise.

"Oh, I'm so sorry we woke you up, Wataru-san!" Dr. Takamoto looked abashed, or as abashed as she ever got. "You should go back to bed now."

"I'm awake." There wasn't anything she or Nago-san could do about that. "Could someone get me some water, please?"

He could find out what the argument was about soon enough. Maybe after he got Dr. Takamoto to go away. He was sure some of Nago-san's distrust was seeping into him, and he remembered hearing something vague in one of his almost-awake times that he was very suggestible right now.

In fact, he was finding it hard to keep his eyes open.

"I'll get it," Dr. Takamoto said, heading into the kitchen. At least it was downstairs, for which Wataru was extremely grateful.

There was the clink of a glass being taken down, but Wataru couldn't really see. He was too busy looking at Nago-san, who looked flustered and took a moment to seem to remember what he was doing before Wataru had woken up.

"Nago-san? Are you okay?" Wataru asked. He wished they'd allow him to get up. They did a little, but not as much as he wished.

"I'm fine," Nago-san said in that stiff tone that said that he was very irritated.

"Your bodyguard and I were having a discussion," Dr. Takamoto said from the kitchen. There was the sound of water filling a glass, and then she came out. "But you shouldn't worry about that. It's hard enough on you to be awake."

Wataru had the sense that they weren't telling him anything, which is what tended to happen more and more often. Well, apart from Bishop, who always came with a large book and proceeded to tell Wataru things about his family history and traditions of the Fangire. Wataru almost hoped he wouldn't be King so he could avoid the whole thing.

Taiga preferred to bring him magazines, and tell him about Fangire culture. Sometimes he brought classical music, sometimes the latest pop, which Wataru wasn't sure what to make of. After all, it was interesting, but it wasn't classical. And at the moment, Wataru felt better hearing classical music.

"Did you bring your lute?" he asked Dr. Takamoto as she reached out to give him the water.

"Unfortunately, Wataru-san, I didn't. I only really bring it when your friend Kengo-san is here, don't you remember?"

He was pretty sure that she was right. "I wish you had. I feel like music right now."

"I'll turn on your cd player, then." She smiled. "Don't worry, Wataru-san. Sometimes, in mid-Puberty, you'll want comforting things. Maybe I'll talk to Kengo-san about doing some recording. I'm sure he'd be happy to help."

"I'll ask him for you," Wataru said. "I promise."

"If you don't," Dr. Takamoto told him, "Don't worry. You have far more things to think about than my recording a CD."

"But I like your music." He wasn't sure he liked her as a doctor, but she played well. "Um, am I all right?"

"You're progressing well, Wataru-san." She fished around. "Ah... classical. Here we go." She pressed play, and Bach came out of the player. "Go back to sleep, Wataru-san. The sooner you rest, the sooner you'll change. Okay?"

He'd resigned himself to the fact that he was going to change. But he wasn't going to become King. Of course, he wasn't going to tell any of the Fangire yet, even Taiga.

"Suzuki-chan should be here soon," Dr. Takamoto said. "I like her. She'll keep you out of trouble."

Wataru saw Nago-san stiffen, and wondered what had gone on. "Thank you, Dr. Takamoto. I'll be fine, if you want to go back to your clinic?"

She laughed. "Wataru-san, I don't trust you to stay down."

"Nago-san is here," Wataru pointed out. He wondered if Dr. Takamoto realized that what she said applied to who he wanted to be around, as well. He felt far more comfortable with Dr. Takada than Dr. Takamoto. And he'd far rather be around Nago-san alone.

There were still things they had to discuss and deal with, after she left.

"True," Dr. Takamoto said, eyeing Nago-san. "It's just... I prefer that you have two people around you."

"Nago-san will punish me if I do anything," Wataru reminded her. He wondered if he would feel like following Nago-san's rules once this was over. Or if he would accidentally kill his would-be boyfriend.

"A man after my own heart," Dr. Takamoto said, sighing. "You've got a point, Wataru-san. But rest. Don't strain yourself." She shot Nago-san a look.

But at least she got up. And she seemed to leave. "Is she gone?" he asked Nago-san tiredly. He wondered if he'd be able to stay awake long enough to talk. Or do anything else. Or if he'd get out what needed to be said before he fell asleep again.

"She is." Nago-san was crossing his arms again.

"What were you arguing about, Nago-san?" Wataru asked, curious to know what was going on."

"Something that isn't your concern," Nago-san said, but stepped over and sat down. "We were merely having a discussion about my health and my duties."

Wataru suspected it was more than that. But he couldn't keep his eyes open. Finally, as Nago-san watched, he closed his eyes again.


	32. Chapter 32

Mio folded her hands as she sat at Wataru-san's table, watching him. She was very much aware of Nago-san also watching Wataru-san from across the room. She was sure he was watching her as well, to make sure she didn't do anything wrong.

She had some respect for the human bounty hunter, but she wished he would leave. She was working hard to seem like she was human instead of Fangire, so that she could get a chance at Wataru-san without any interference.

Wataru-san was a nice person, after all. And she really wanted him to be her King, to embolden her, to be there as she tried to settle into being Queen. He was better than anybody else to be with her; he understood her, how she felt and how things should be.

Maybe when Nago-san left, she'd kiss Wataru-san. He'd feel better, and maybe it would pull him more towards her.

"Would you like some tea, Nago-san?" she asked, hoping that he'd say yes. Or maybe she hoped he'd say no. She wasn't sure, but she felt like she should do something, anything, as long as it kept her awake.

She did have a book in her purse, but that was a last resort.

"No, thank you," Nago-san said stiffly. She had to wonder if something had happened before that she didn't know about, and wondered equally if she dared ask Taiga-san or Bishop.

"Then I'll get some for myself," she said, and waited for Nago-san's stiff nod. It wasn't like she really needed tea, but it was definitely something to keep her mind occupied until Taiga-san or Bishop got there.

Or she was left alone by herself, which almost never happened.

She knew that the reason there were two guards was that Wataru-san had walked off once when Taiga-san was on watch, and Taiga-san had not been happy about it. Of course, she was expected to pull out a cell phone and call for help, because she was supposed to be a mere human and not capable of stopping Wataru-san at all.

Mio probably was, but not if he walked off like he had with Taiga-san. Queen's abilities didn't include tracking a recalcitrant King.

"Do what you need to do." Nago-san nodded, and she scrambled up. She shouldn't have to do that, but she had to keep her cover. She wasn't sure her cover was much different than who she was anyway, if she had been human.

Besides, she liked tea.

She made a pot in the tiny kitchen, enough for her, Nago-san, and Wataru-san if needed. She was very careful to use cups that wouldn't break if she tripped - after all, despite being Queen, she was clumsy as ever.

Somehow, she managed to make her way to the table without falling over the floor. Taking a sip of the tea, she watched Wataru-san sleep. She wished she could say something to him, anything, but she had to keep reminding herself that it wasn't the right time.

Maybe it would never be the right time. That's how things usually worked out for her.

Nago-san got a phone call, and she tried not to follow the terse conversation. She instead focused on the tea, and Wataru-san, and making sure Wataru-san didn't move while Nago-san was occupied.

Then Nago-san was checking his phone. "I need to go. If he moves beyond going to the bathroom, call me. Or someone else."

"Understood, Nago-san," she said, working on her tea. The human bounty hunter left, and she was left alone with Wataru-san.

She briefly thought about waking him up and decided it wasn't a good idea. If he had to sleep, he had to sleep. She turned to her tea and her novel, and hoped it would be a quiet watch.

"Nago-san?"

Mio started, turning to him. "He… he left, Wataru-san. Do you need him?"

Wataru-san looked at her bleary-eyed. "I'm not sure," he said, with the honesty that made her love him so much. "But I wanted to talk to him. But Takamoto-san was here, and he was upset, and I fell asleep…."

"Oh." If he really wanted the other man, Mio wouldn't stop him. He wasn't full Fangire yet, and he didn't fall under the rules.

Not that she was that good at enforcing those rules, either, like everything else in her life. "Wataru-san, do you… are you in love with Nago-san?"

She should know. Even if it hurt her, because the man would be forever between her and Wataru-san.

"I don't know." He shifted in his bed. "I just think I should get to know him the way he wants before I change fully."

Mio tried to think of her King dating a male human, and utterly failed. But it was his choice, and besides, she'd get him back after. Hopefully.

Things might go terribly wrong, but in a way, they already had. She had never really gotten a chance to leave her life as it was before, say goodbye to Koji and Kaori, Satoshi and Imari, Sakura and Sae. Wataru-san should have more of a chance than she ever did.

"Is there something telling you to do that?" she asked. She recognized the look in his eyes; her cousin was the same way when an idea struck.

"Maybe. I'm not sure if it's something that's been said around me, or just something I know I need to do."

She wouldn't stop him. Even if Taiga-san and Bishop would disapprove, she wouldn't. He should have the chance to say goodbye, to figure things out, to have a closing before he went on to what should be and her.

"If you want that, Wataru-san, then I'll help you." She'd never felt so brave in her entire life, going against her own kin to give him some time with his maybe-lover. "Next time his duty and mine overlap…."

The gratitude in Wataru-san's eyes was all worth it.


End file.
